Open AccessDIGITALTOOLS AND LANGUAGE IN CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN 8 TO 36 MONTHS
Author(s) -
Giangennaro Coppola,
Grazia Maria Giovanna Pastorino,
Chiara Padovano,
Chiara Scuoppo,
Valentina Vivenzio,
Valeria De Simone,
Francesca Felicia Operto
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
archiv euromedica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2199-885X
pISSN - 2193-3863
DOI - 10.35630/2199-885x/2021/11/5.5
Subject(s) - observational study , gesture , lexicon , psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , pediatrics , computer science , artificial intelligence , pathology
Aim: In the last ten years, digital tools have become common in children. Language skills are important and emerge in childhood. The purpose of the present study is to find a potential relation between digital tools use and language skills in children aged 8 to 36 months, considering other factors. Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study that included a total of 260 subjects between 8 and 36 months. Parents of all children completed a questionnaire that explores usage of digital tools by children, and another one for language skills (MacArthur-Bates). Results: We found a significant negative relationship between the daily time of use of digital devices and the gestures and actions Quotient (ß = −0.397) in subjects aged 8 to 17 months, and between the daily time of use and the quotient of the lexicon (ß = −0.224) in subjects aged 18 to 36 months. Conclusion: We have shown that a major use of digital devices was linked to lower abilities of actions and mimics in subjects 8–17 months of age and to worse language performances in subjects aged 18 to 36 months. The other explored factors were not linked to these results.