Screen Time, Socioeconomic Status and Executive Functions,and Social Skills in Children: Effects on Academic Achievement

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of screen use on executive functions
(EFs), social skills, and academic achievement in school-aged children, taking
into account the effect of socioeconomic status (SES). In the study participated
216 Spanish-speaking boys and girls and their respective parents and teachers. The participants were residents of Argentina and ranged in age from 9 to 12 years (M = 10.10; SD = 0.87). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Pearson’s r correlation, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
were employed. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the two-dimensional EF structure, which includes (1) working memory and (2) inhibition, provided the best fit to the data. Additionally, it was observed that exposure to television, smartphones, and tablets predominated over other activities. Children with greater executive function difficulties in working
memory and inhibition scored lower on language and mathematics tests.
Furthermore, parental educational level and family income were associated
with academic performance. Finally, the SEM model showed that EF (-.27) and SES (.50 a .52), were the main predictors of academic performance. This study has important implications for designing strategies aimed at improving academic performance in child population.