RESEARCH ARTICLE
Tests of bidirectional relations of TV exposure and effortful control as predictors of adjustment in early childhood in the context of family risk factors
Krystal H. Parrish,
Michele R. Smith,
Lyndsey Moran,
Erika J. Ruberry,
Liliana J. Lengua,
Krystal H. Parrish
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMichele R. Smith
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorLyndsey Moran
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorErika J. Ruberry
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Liliana J. Lengua
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Correspondence
Liliana J. Lengua, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this author
Krystal H. Parrish,
Michele R. Smith,
Lyndsey Moran,
Erika J. Ruberry,
Liliana J. Lengua,
Krystal H. Parrish
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMichele R. Smith
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorLyndsey Moran
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorErika J. Ruberry
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Liliana J. Lengua
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Correspondence
Liliana J. Lengua, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorHandling Editor: Jordy Kaufman
Abstract
This study examined bidirectional relations between television exposure and effortful control accounting for the effects of family contextual risk factors. Data were from a sample (N = 306) of parents and their preschool-age children (T1 M = 36 mos. in 2008–2010) assessed four times, once every 9 mos. At T1, adolescent parent status predicted lower child delay ability (DA), and maternal depression predicted higher TV time. Above these effects, higher T1 and T2 child executive control (EC) prospectively predicted lower T2 and T3 TV time, while higher T1 TV time predicted lower T2 EC. Higher EC at T4 predicted fewer total problems, greater social competence, and greater academic readiness at T4, and higher TV time at T4 predicted lower academic readiness. DA was unrelated to TV time or adjustment. Findings suggest executive control and TV time predict changes in each other in early childhood, and in turn, executive control predicts better child adjustment while TV time might be more relevant for academic readiness. Moreover, family risk factors appear to play a role in both TV viewing time and effortful control.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open Research
PEER REVIEW
The peer review history for this article is available at https://publons.com/publon/10.1002/icd.2314.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.
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