A Network Perspective on the Relationship between Screen Time, Executive Function, and Fundamental Motor Skills among Preschoolers

Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins, Paulo Felipe Ribeiro Bandeira, Natália Batista Albuquerque Goulart Lemos, Thaynã Alves Bezerra, Cain Craig Truman Clark, Jorge Mota and Michael Joseph Duncan
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Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa-PB 58000-000, Brazil
Paulo Felipe Ribeiro Bandeira: Department of Physical Education, Universidade Regional do Cariri—URCA; Crato-CE 63105-000, Brazil
Natália Batista Albuquerque Goulart Lemos: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina-PE 56304917, Brazil
Thaynã Alves Bezerra: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa-PB 58000-000, Brazil
Cain Craig Truman Clark: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Jorge Mota: Centre of Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Porto, 4500 Porto, Portugal
Michael Joseph Duncan: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: The present study aimed to analyze the dynamic and nonlinear association between screen time, executive function (EF), and fundamental motor skills (FMS) in preschoolers, considering sex and body mass index (BMI) from a network perspective. Forty-two preschoolers (24 boys, 3.91 ± 0.77 years old) provided screen time, EF, FMS, and BMI data. EF was measured using the Go/No Go task, and accuracy of Go (sustain attention), reaction time of Go, and accuracy of No Go (inhibitory control) were considered. Relationships between screen time, EF, FMS, sex, and BMI were explored using a network analysis. The emerged network highlights that screen time is intensely associated with the other variables in the network, while the accuracy of Go has the greater connectivity with other nodes in the network (2.27), being the most sensitive to potential intervention changes. Moreover, sex (1.74), screen time (0.93), and accuracy of Go (0.71) showed the greatest closeness. This study showed that in the emerged network, independent of sex, screen exposure affects the accuracy on Go task, and these components affect the variables in the network, as motor abilities and tasks involved in inhibitory control.

Keywords: screen time; fundamental motor skills; executive function; network perspective (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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