Tweens and screens during COVID-19: Longitudinal data from the All Our Families cohort

• In Event: Children, Screens, and COVID-19: Early Findings from Longitudinal, Interdisciplinary, Multi-Institutional Studies

Abstract

Background and Objectives. To curb the spread of COVID-19, significant changes to tweens daily lives were imposed (e.g., school closures, home confinement) and some youth likely turned to digital devices to occupy their time or connect with others. However, high levels of screen use have been associated with shifts in brain structure and increased risk for psychopathology (Paulus et al., 2019). To date however, research on screen use during COVID-19 has lacked a developmental perspective, with most studies measuring children’s screen time cross-sectionally. Determining whether screen use has increased during COVID-19, and which youth are at greatest risk for increased use, requires cohort studies with longitudinal and repeated methods that take into account pre-existing rates and associated factors. The All Our Families cohort (AOF; Calgary, Alberta) is a longitudinal cohort following families from pregnancy to child age 8, as well as during COVID-19 (spring/summer 2020; child age 9-11), with a planned follow up (Dec 2020). With this multi-timepoint and multi-informant (mothers, youth) data, we will examine the following research questions: (1) Does screen use during COVID-19 increase compared to pre-COVID-19 use at age 8?; (2) Is the increase greater than what we would expect given previous annual trends in screen use from 8 to 11 years? and (3) What COVID-19 specific child and family factors predict greater than expected increases in screen use (i.e., child age and sex, child mental illness, maternal depression, social-environmental changes such as job loss, etc)?

Methods. Data for the current study will be derived from the pre-COVID-19 phase (maternal self-report; 2016-2019) when youth were 8 years of age and during the COVID phase (maternal and youth self-report; May – August 2020; N = 1333) when youth were 9-11 years of age. The majority (81%) had a pre-pandemic household income of >$80,000CAD, 82% were White and 51% of youth were male. The pre- and during COVID-19 surveys asked about the time youth spent using devices (i.e., television, tablets, gaming system, etc.) on a typical weekday and weekend. Mothers and youth self-reported on their mental health and well-being using standardized questionnaires, and the impact of the pandemic on family finances (e.g., parent job loss), life experiences (e.g., school closure), and family relationships.

Results. Preliminary results suggest that screen use has increased from the pre-COVID-19 8-year survey (M = 1.76 hrs/day; SD = 2.33) to during COVID-19 (Maternal M = 3.44 hrs/day; SD = 2.15; Youth M = 3.40 hrs/day; SD = 1.82). As recently collected COVID-19 surveys are currently being cleaned, scored, and prepared for data-analysis, formal analysis of questions 2-3 will be conducted in October 2020.

Conclusions. During the unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19, youth are likely turning to digital devices as a means of coping or preoccupying their time. Using a multi-informant longitudinal cohort, this study provides important information about risk factors associated with problematic screen use as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and sheds light on individual and family factors that may put youth at risk. Clinical and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary (U of C)
  Presenting Author

• Brae Anne McArthur, University of Calgary (U of C)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nicole Racine, University of Ottawa
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dillon Browne, University of Waterloo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Suzanne Tough, University of Calgary (U of C)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sheila McDonald, Alberta Children’s Hospital Institute
  Non-Presenting Author