Exposure to Interactive Media, but at Low Levels, is Associated with Better Executive Functioning in Children: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis investigates the relation between media exposure and executive function (EF) skills in children between zero and six years of age. We analyzed data from 30 studies with 121 effect sizes and 7,740 children and explored both the overall association and potential moderators. While the overall relation between media exposure and EF skills was non-significant, several moderators were found to play important roles in this association. Media interactivity type and the duration of exposure significantly moderated the association, such that low-duration interactive media usage was positive, yet high-duration receptive and uncategorized media usage were negatively associated with EF skills. The current meta-analysis findings further emphasize the importance of considering specific factors such as media interactivity and duration of exposure when making a conclusion about whether media usage benefits or harms children’s cognitive development.