PLUM: Preschoolers’ Language and Use of Media

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Young children today use over two hours of media per day on average, and some children use much more. There is considerable societal concern about the effects of media use on young children. However, we know very little about how media use affects children’s language development over time. Media use could negatively impact language development by displacing other important activities like shared book reading and interactions with parents and peers. This is a crucial area to study because early language skills are critical contributors to later academic achievement.

This study will follow children from age 3 to 5 and examine their media use and language skills. Beyond how much media children use overall, data collection will include information about how much children use media with adults, how much children use interactive (apps/games) versus noninteractive (TV/video) media, and how much children use educational media. These factors may influence the impact of media use on language development. A wide range of data sources will be used to capture a nuanced view of children’s media use. Further, information will be collected about a host of covariates that are likely to be linked to both media use and language development. This will allow for the identification of the unique relation between media use and children’s language development during this crucial time frame.

WE ARE NOW ENROLLING CHILDREN IN THIS STUDY
We have put together a page for families to learn more about the PLUM project, and what is involved in having your child participate.

If you think you might want to enroll your child in this study, click on the button below to visit our page for families.

If your child is between 3 and 3.5 years of age and you are ready to enroll them in the study, click the button below to complete a 2-minute survey to determine eligibility. (The survey will open in a new tab.)