Screen Time and Standardized Academic Achievement Tests in Elementary School

Is there an association between different types of screen time in young children and academic achievement in grades 3 and 6, as measured by standardized tests in reading, writing, and math?In this cohort study of 3322 grade 3 children and 2084 grade 6 children recruited from primary care settings in Ontario, Canada, between 2008 and 2023, higher parent-reported total screen time and TV and digital media time were associated with lower reading and math achievement on standardized tests in elementary school.These findings suggest that early interventions to reduce screen time exposure should be developed and tested to promote healthy screen use habits and enhance academic achievement in elementary school.

Corresponding Author: Xuedi Li, MSc, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada (xuedi.li@sickkids.ca).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.