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Does preschool physical activity and electronic media use predict later social and emotional skills at 6 to 8 years? A cohort study

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Version 2 2024-06-04, 00:47
Version 1 2017-04-05, 10:03
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-04, 00:47 authored by T Hinkley, Anna TimperioAnna Timperio, Jo SalmonJo Salmon, AK Hesketh
Background:Little is known about the associations of preschoolers’ health behaviors with their later psychosocial wellbeing. This study investigates the association of 3- to 5-year-old children’s physical activity and electronic media use with their later social-emotional skills (6-8 years).Methods:Data were collected in 2008–2009 and 2011–2012 for the Healthy Active Preschool and Primary Years (HAPPY) Study in metropolitan Melbourne. Participants were a random subsample (n = 108) of the 567 children at follow-up. Physical activity was objectively measured using ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers; electronic media use (television viewing, sedentary electronic games and active electronic games) was parent proxy-reported. Social and emotional skills were child-reported using the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory—Youth Version. Regression analyses controlled for sex, clustering by center of recruitment, and accelerometer wear time (for physical activity analyses).Results:Sedentary electronic games were positively associated with intrapersonal and stress management skills and total emotional quotient. Computer/internet use was inversely associated with interpersonal, and positively associated with stress management, skills.Conclusions:Findings suggest that physical activity is not associated with children’s psychosocial health while some types of electronic media use are. Future research should investigate the contexts in which preschoolers participate in these behaviors and potential causal mechanisms of associations.

History

Journal

Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Volume

14

Pagination

308-316

Location

United States

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1543-3080

eISSN

1543-5474

Language

English

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2017 Human Kinetics

Issue

4

Publisher

HUMAN KINETICS PUBL INC