The Impact of Media Usage Time on Children’s Pragmatic Language Ability: Moderating Effects of Poverty Status

Objectives: This study examines whether family poverty status moderates the effects of children’s media use time and type on pragmatic language skills, even when media exposure duration and usage patterns are comparable.Methods: Data from the 10th wave (2017) of the Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC), with a sample of 1,175 children aged 7-9, were analyzed. The sample comprised 1,175 children aged 7-9. Using Multiple regression analyses and the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2013) were used to test poverty status as a moderator in the relationship between media use time and pragmatic language skills.Results: First, significant mean differences in media use patterns by poverty status were observed for learning, gaming, and entertainment media. Second, media use time was negatively associated with children’s pragmatic language skills, with poverty status serving as a significant moderator. Specifically, increased media use time showed no significant decline in non-poor families but marked reductions in poor families.Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of situating children’s media use within broader socioeconomic contexts rather than focusing solely on screen time. Therefore, tailored interventions and support strategies that account for poverty status are essential for promoting effective media use, fostering pragmatic language development, and mitigating linguistic disadvantage.