Recent research on digital media
All ages
Christakis DA, Hale L, eds. Handbook of Children and Screens: Digital Media, Development, and Well-Being from Birth through Adolescence. Cham, Switzerland: Springer; 2025.
Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force. Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry.
Early childhood
Chakranon P, Huang JP, Au HK, et al. The importance of mother-child interaction on smart device usage and behavior outcomes among toddlers: A longitudinal study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024;18(1):79. doi: 10.1186/s13034-024-00772-6
Fitzpatrick C, Florit E, Lemieux A, Garon-Carrier G, Mason L. Associations between preschooler screen time trajectories and executive function. Acad Pediatr 2025;25(2):102603. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.102603
Grossmann T, Johnson MH. The development of the social brain in human infancy. Eur J Neurosci 2007;25(4):909–19. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05379.x
Konok V, Binet MA, Korom A, Pogány Á, Miklósi Á, Fitzpatric C. Cure for tantrums? Longitudinal associations between parental digital emotion regulation and children's self-regulatory skills. Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024;3:1276154. doi: 10.3389/frcha.2024.1276154
Madigan S, Eiric R, Pador P, McArthur BA, Neville RD. Assessment of changes in child and adolescent screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr 2022;176(12):1188–98. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4116
McArthur BA, Browne D, Racine N, Tough S, Madigan S. Screen time as a mechanism through which cumulative risk is related to child socioemotional and developmental outcomes in early childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022;50(6):709-20. doi: 10.1007/s10802-021-00895-w
Pickard H, Chu P, Essex C, et al. Toddler screen use before bed and its effect on sleep and attention: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr 2025;178(12):1270–9. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3997
Rideout V, Robb MB. The Common Sense Media Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight. San Franciso, CA: Common Sense Media; 2020.
van den Heuvel M, Ma J, Borkhoff CM, et al. Mobile media device use is associated with expressive language delay in 18-month-old children. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2019;40(2):99-104. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000630
Webb SJ, Howard W, Garrison M, et al. Mobile media content exposure and toddlers’ responses to attention prompts and behavioral requests. JAMA Netw Open 2024;7(7):e2418492. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.18492
School-aged children and youth
American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. A review of gaps in the literature. Year 1: May 2023 – April 2024.
Balt E, Mérelle S, Robinson J, et al. Social media use of adolescents who died by suicide: Lessons from a psychological autopsy study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2023;17(1):48. doi: 10.1186/s13034-023-00597-9
Dahlgren CL, Sundgot-Borgen C, Kvalem IL, Wennersberg AL, Wisting L. Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: A cross-sectional study in Norwegian adolescents. J Eat Disord 2024;12(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-00992-3
Hilty DM, Stubbe D, McKean AJ, et al. A scoping review of social media in child, adolescents and young adults: Research findings in depression, anxiety and other clinical challenges. BJPsych Open 2023;9(5):e152. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2023.523
Hmidan A, Seguin D, Duerden EG. Media screen time use and mental health in school-aged children during the pandemic. BMC Psychol 2023;11(1):202. doi: 10.1186/s40359-023-01240-0
Livet A, Boers E, Laroque F, et al. Pathways from adolescent screen time to eating related symptoms: A multilevel longitudinal mediation analysis through self-esteem. Psychol Health 2024;39(9):1167-82. doi: 10.1080/08870446.2022.2141239
Nawaz FA, Riaz MMA, Banday NUA, et al. Social media use among adolescents with eating disorders: A double-edged sword. Front Psychiatry 2024;15:1300182. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1300182
Thai H, Davis CG, Mahboob W, Perry S, Adams A, Goldfield G. Reducing social media use improves appearance and weight esteem in youth with emotional distress. Psychol Pop Media 2024;13(1):162-9. doi: 10.1037/ppm0000460
