The Relationship Between Temperament, Screen Exposure, and Psychological Adjustment in Preschool Children

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze current trends in screen exposure and to provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between temperament, screen exposure, and psychological adjustment in preschoolers. Methods: The study was conducted in kindergartens and one health center in the city of Zagreb, using a convenience sample of 115 mothers who assessed their preschool children’s screen exposure, temperament, and psychological adjustment. Results: Descriptive data analysis indicated that children’s screen time generally fell within the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s recommended guidelines. Correlation analysis indicated that externalizing problems were significantly positively correlated with impulsivity, activity, emotionality, and weekend screen time. Conversely, prosocial behavior was negatively correlated with impulsivity and weekend screen exposure. Moderation analyses revealed that weekend screen time significantly altered the associations between temperament and externalizing problems. Specifically, longer weekend screen exposure weakened the relationships between Impulsivity and externalizing problem and between Activity and externalizing problems, suggesting that screen time may buffer the impact of high-risk temperament profiles on behavioral difficulties. Weekend screen time did not moderate the relationship between Emotionality and externalizing problems. Similarly, longer screen exposure weakened the negative association between Impulsivity and prosocial behavior, indicating that screen time may reduce the extent to which impulsive temperament undermines prosocial functioning in preschool children. Conclusions: These findings provide deeper insight into the role of temperament and screen time exposure in predicting both maladaptive and prosocial behaviors among preschool-aged children.