A Longitudinal Study of the Relation between Childhood Activities and Psychosocial Adjustment in Early Adolescence

Rosa S. Wong, Keith T. S. Tung, Nirmala Rao, Frederick K. W. Ho, Ko Ling Chan, King-Wa Fu, Winnie W. Y. Tso, Fan Jiang, Jason C. S. Yam, David Coghill, Ian C. K. Wong and Patrick Ip
Additional contact information
Rosa S. Wong: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Keith T. S. Tung: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Nirmala Rao: Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Frederick K. W. Ho: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, 1 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK
Ko Ling Chan: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
King-Wa Fu: Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Winnie W. Y. Tso: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Fan Jiang: Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200240, China
Jason C. S. Yam: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
David Coghill: Department of Paediatrics and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Ian C. K. Wong: Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Patrick Ip: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Although an increasing body of research shows that excessive screen time could impair brain development, whereas non-screen recreational activities can promote the development of adaptive emotion regulation and social skills, there is a lack of comparative research on this topic. Hence, this study examined whether and to what extent the frequency of early-life activities predicted later externalizing and internalizing problems. Methods: In 2012/13, we recruited Kindergarten 3 (K3) students from randomly selected kindergartens in two districts of Hong Kong and collected parent-report data on children’s screen activities and parent–child activities. In 2018/19, we re-surveyed the parents of 323 students (aged 11 to 13 years) with question items regarding their children’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms in early adolescence. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between childhood activities and psychosocial problems in early adolescence. Results: Early-life parent–child activities (? = ?0.14, p = 0.012) and child-alone screen use duration (? = 0.15, p = 0.007) independently predicted externalizing problems in early adolescence. Their associations with video game exposure (? = 0.19, p = 0.004) and non-screen recreational parent–child activities (? = ?0.14, p = 0.004) were particularly strong. Conclusions: Parent–child play time is important for healthy psychosocial development. More efforts should be directed to urge parents and caregivers to replace child-alone screen time with parent–child play time.

Keywords: psychosocial development; adolescence; early-life activities; screen time; cohort study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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