Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of the sample.

From: Long-term impact of digital media on brain development in children

Variables

Overall

Boys

Girls

N at T0

6469

3369

3100

Age, years at T0

9.9 (0.6)

9.9 (0.6)

9.9 (0.6)

Socioeconomic status

0.01 (0.99)

0.03 (0.94)

-0.02 (1.00)

Polygenic score

0.02 (1.00)

0.04 (0.98)

-0.003 (1.02)

Digital media usage

Using social media

 T0

0.49 (1.06)a

0.39 (0.95)a

0.56 (1.09)a

 T1

0.84 (1.49)b

0.66 (1.31)b

0.99 (1.59)b

 T2

1.22 (1.33)c

0.89 (1.16)c

1.47 (1.38)c

 T3

1.87 (1.45)d

1.47 (1.35)d

2.22 (1.45)d

 T4

2.50 (1.45)

2.19 (1.49)

2.76 (1.36)

Watching television/videos

 T0

2.13 (1.69)a

2.20 (1.72)a

2.05 (1.65)a

 T1

2.36 (1.77)b

2.44 (1.80)b

2.26 (1.73)b

 T2

2.21 (1.24)

2.24 (1.24)

2.13 (1.23)

Playing video games

 T0

0.95 (1.06)a

1.24 (1.15)a

0.64 (0.84)a

 T1

1.15 (1.18)b

1.50 (1.23)b

0.78 (0.99)b

 T2

1.48 (1.39)c

1.94 (1.37)c

0.93 (1.19)c

 T3

1.81 (1.47)d

2.33 (1.36)d

1.21 (1.35)d

 T4

2.00 (1.57)

2.53 (1.40)

1.37 (1.51)

Average estimated time spent over four years on

 Using social media

1.35 (0.95)

1.12 (0.87)

1.60 (0.99)

 Watching television/videos

2.24 (1.27)

2.30 (1.28)

2.16 (1.25)

 Playing video games

1.47 (1.02)

1.91 (0.96)

0.98 (0.86)

 Playing mature video games at T0

0.53 (0.84)

0.76 (0.94)

0.27 (0.60)

 Watching mature movies at T0

0.34 (0.60)

0.38 (0.62)

0.30 (0.58)

Total screen time—reported by children at

 T0

3.60 (2.93)

3.86 (2.99)

3.27 (2.76)

 T1

4.32 (3.38)

4.58 (3.33)

4.03 (3.42)

Total screen time—reported by parents at

 T0

2.90 (2.32)

3.04 (2.37)

2.73 (2.23)

 T1

3.17 (2.62)

3.28 (2.58)

3.05 (2.65)

  1. Data are presented as the mean (standard deviation).
  2. T0, baseline visit; T1, first-year visit; T2, second-year visit, T3, third-year visit; and T4, fourth-year visit. A two-sample t-test was carried out to determine the differences between the visits.
  3. aSignificant differences between T0 and T1.
  4. bSignificant differences between T1 and T2.
  5. cSignificant differences between parent and child reported at T0.
  6. dSignificant differences between parent and child reported at T1.
  7. eSignificant differences between parent and child reported at T2. The average estimated time spent over 2 years is calculated by the average across all three annual visits. The total screen time reported by children is calculated by summing the estimated time spent on individual digital media types. For example, total screen time at T0 is calculated by summing the estimated time spent using social media, watching television and videos, and playing video games at T0.