Prospective associations between child screen time and parenting stress and later inattention symptoms in preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. Method: This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Results: Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. Discussion: These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.

Challenges in developmental psychology research during the COVID-19 pandemic / Desafios da pesquisa em psicologia do desenvolvimento durante a pandemia da COVID-19 / Desafíos de la investigación en psicología del desarrollo durante la pandemia de COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a series of restructurings necessary for research in Developmental Psychology. The aim of the manuscript is to discuss adaptations we made in our research in this context during the COVID-19 pandemic and to present strategies to adequate research protocols originally designed to occur in person. Although some contexts do not allow the continuity of studies, research at this time can bring essential contributions in this extreme period. This article explores the strategies for adapting recruitment procedures, suggesting dissemination platforms, and using social networks for this purpose. Guidelines are suggested for conducting non-face-to-face interviews with caregivers, ways of assessing the interaction of the mother-child pairs, and problematizing ethical issues. The procedures for returning the results, an ethical researcher commitment, may be improved by resources such as automatic reports. Besides, strategies for better dissemination of the results for the participants are suggested. (AU)

A pandemia COVID-19 trouxe uma série de reestruturações necessárias à pesquisa em Psicologia do Desenvolvimento. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir as adaptações que realizamos em pesquisas neste contexto durante a pandemia de COVID-19 e apresentar estratégias para adequação de protocolos de pesquisa originalmente planejados para ocorrer de forma presencial. Embora alguns contextos não permitam a continuidade dos estudos, pesquisas nesse momento podem trazer importantes contribuições sobre este período ímpar. No presente artigo são exploradas estratégias de adaptação dos procedimentos de recrutamento, sugeridas plataformas de divulgação e como melhor usar as redes sociais para esse fim. Também são descritos procedimentos para realização de entrevistas não presenciais com responsáveis, formas de avaliação da interação das duplas mãe-criança e problematizadas questões éticas. Os procedimentos de devolução dos resultados, um compromisso ético dos pesquisadores, podem ser facilitados por recursos como relatórios automáticos. Além disso, sugerimos estratégias para melhor divulgação dos resultados ao público participante. (AU)

La pandemia del COVID-19 trajo una serie de reestructuraciones necesarias para la investigación en Psicología del Desarrollo. El objetivo de este artículo es discutir las adaptaciones realizadas en las investigaciones en este contexto durante la pandemia de COVID-19 y presentar algunas estrategias para la adaptación de los protocolos de investigación originalmente planeados para ser presenciales. Si bien algunos contextos no permitan la continuidad de los estudios, la investigación en este momento puede aportar importantes avances sobre estos tiempos de crisis. Este artículo explora las estrategias para adaptar los procedimientos de contratación, sugiriendo algunas plataformas de difusión y la mejor manera de utilizar las redes sociales para este fin. También se describen los procedimientos para la realización de entrevistas no presenciales con padres o tutores legales, las formas de evaluar la interacción madre-hijo y las cuestiones éticas. Los procedimientos para la devolución de los resultados, un compromiso ético de los investigadores, pueden verse facilitados por funciones como informes automáticos. Además, se recomienda estrategias para una mejor difusión de los resultados al público participante. (AU)

Infants' and toddlers' digital media use and mothers' mental health: A comparative study before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study compared children's and mothers' digital media use and mothers' mental health in two samples: one accessed before (Group 1; N = 257; M = 33.18 years; SD = 4.79) and the other accessed during (Group 2; N = 256; M = 33.51 years; SD = 4.96) the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Mothers of children up to 3 years old (Group 1: M = 17.95 months, SD = 9.85; Group 2: M = 16.48 months, SD = 10.15) answered an online survey. Bivariate analysis, factorial ANOVA tests, and multiple linear regression were performed. Results suggest that mothers' and children's media use duration was higher during the pandemic only among children over 12 months. Mothers' media use duration (ß = .18) and mothers' intention to offer media (ß = .23) contributed to the explanation of children's media use duration (F(4, 474) = 16.81; p < .001; R2  = .12; R2 adjusted = .117). Higher mothers' common mental disorders symptoms were also positively correlated to mothers' intention to offer media to children both before and during the pandemic. Results suggest that interventions focusing on infants and toddlers screen time reduction should target maternal aspects such as mental health, maternal screen time, and intention to offer media, taking into account the mothers' needs when planning these actions.

Este estudio comparó el uso de los medios digitales por parte de los niños y las madres con la salud mental de las madres en dos grupos muestra: uno al cual se tuvo acceso antes (Grupo 1: N = 257; M = 33.18 años; SD = 4.79) y el otro al cual se tuvo acceso durante (Grupo 2; N = 256; M = 33.51 años; SD = 4.96) la pandemia del COVID-19 en Brasil. Las madres de niños de hasta tres años (Grupo 1: M = 17.95 meses, SD = 9.85; Grupo 2: M = 16.48 meses, SD = 10.15) respondieron una encuesta electrónica. Los análisis bivariados los exámenes factoriales ANOVA, así como múltiples regresiones lineales se llevaron a cabo. Los resultados indican que la duración de uso de los medios por parte de las madres y los niños fue más alta durante la pandemia sólo entre niños de más de 12 meses. La duración de uso de los medios por parte de las madres (ß = 0.18) y la intención de las madres de ofrecer los medios (ß = 0.23) contribuyeron a explicar la duración de uso de los medios por parte de los niños (F(4,474) = 16,81; p < .001; R2 = .12; R2 ajustado = .117). Más altos síntomas de trastornos mentales comunes en las madres se correlacionaron también positivamente con la intención de las madres de ofrecer los medios a los niños tanto antes como durante la pandemia. Los resultados indican que las intervenciones enfocadas en reducir el tiempo frente a la pantalla de infantes y niños pequeñitos deben dirigirse a los aspectos maternos como la salud mental, el tiempo de la madre frente a la pantalla, así como la intención de ofrecer los medios, tomando en cuenta las necesidades de las madres cuando se planeen estas acciones.

Cette étude a comparé l'utilisation des médias numériques des enfants et des mères et la santé mentale des mères chez deux échantillons: l'un accédé avant la pandémie du Covid-19 (Groupe 1; N = 257; M = 33,18 ans; SD = 4,79) et l'autre accédé durant la pandémie du covid-19 (Groupe 2; N = 256; M = 33,51 ans; SD = 4,96) au Brésil. Les mères d'enfants jusqu'à l'âge de trois ans (Groupe 1: M = 17,95 mois, SD = 9,85; Groupe 2: M = 16,48 mois, SD = 10,15) ont répondu à un questionnaire en ligne. Une analyse à deux variables, des tests ANOVA factoriels, et une régression linéaire multiple ont été faits. Les résultats suggèrent que la durée de l'utilisation média des mères et des enfants a été plus élevée durant la pandémie uniquement pour les enfants de plus de 12 mois. La durée de l'utilisation média des mères (ß = 0,18) et l'intention des mères à offrir le média (ß = 0,23) a contribué à l'explication de la durée de l'utilisation média des enfants (F(4, 474) = 16,81; p <,001; R2 = ,12; R2 adjusté = ,117). Plus de symptômes communs de troubles mentaux des mères était aussi lié de manière positive à l'intention des mères d'offrir le média à la fois avant et durant la pandémie. Les résultats suggèrent que les interventions s'attachant à la réduction du temps d'écran des bébés et des petits enfants devraient cibler des aspects maternels comme la santé mentale, le temps d'écran maternel, et l'intention d'offrir le média, prenant en compte les besoins des mères en planifiant ces actions.

Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Brazilian Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Associated Factors.

COVID-19 pandemic has become a significant international public health problem. In addition to dealing with the pandemic's impact on mental health, parents need to cope with specific changes in their routines caused by social distance measures. This study aimed to investigate common mental disorders (CMD) symptoms in Brazilian parents during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors. A total of 232 Brazilian parents ranging from 20 to 48 years old (M = 33.85; SD = 4.83) with children aged 1-36 months (M = 17.00; SD = 9,87) participated in an online survey. Parents answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), and Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. Chi-square tests, correlations, and multiple linear regression were performed. Results showed that parents' symptoms of CMD were negatively associated to perceived parental competence (ß =- 0.130; p = 0.011) and family income (ß =- 0.190; p = 0.024). Furthermore, perceived stress was the most related variable to parents' symptoms of CMD (ß = 0.618; p < 0.001), showing a positive association. The model explained 49.5% of the variation. Results suggest that lower family income may increase symptoms of CMD in Brazilian parents, which is a concern in a country of high social inequality. Parental sense of competence may be a relevant protective factor. Interventions targeting parental competence and stress reduction should be considered to address the mental health impacts of the pandemic.