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

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: executive function; fundamental motor skills; network perspective; screen time.

Figure 1

Network associations between compliance with screen time recommendation, sex, body mass index, fundamental motor skills, executive functions, and age. Orange node = compliance with screen time recommendation; blue nodes = anagraphics and anthropometrics; yellow nodes = fundamental motor skills; purple nodes = executive function trials; 1 = compliance with screen time recommendation; 2 = sex; 3 = body mass index; 4 = locomotion score; 5 = object control score; 6 = accuracy of Go; 7 = reaction time of Go; 8 = accuracy of No Go; 9 = age.