Screen-Based Digital Media Exposure and Early Childhood Self-Regulation : A Systematic Literature Review with Attention to Short-Form Video
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66291/qr-ece.v1i4.97Keywords:
short-form video; self-regulation; early childhood; digital literacy; parental mediation.Abstract
The increasing use of short-form video platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels has significantly shifted children's play patterns, raising concerns about early childhood self-regulation development. This systematic literature review aims to synthesize empirical evidence on the impact of short-form video exposure on self-regulation dimensions among children aged 0–8 years, and to identify moderating factors shaping this relationship. Searches were conducted in Scopus and Google Scholar using keywords related to short-form video, self-regulation, executive function, and early childhood; 13 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025 were included and analyzed using thematic synthesis, with quality appraised via JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Findings reveal that excessive short-form video exposure is consistently associated with weaker sustained attention, impaired impulse control, reduced emotion regulation, and diminished peer interaction quality, particularly in children under 6 years, moderated by parental mediation, content quality, and displacement of unstructured play. As the first SLR synthesizing evidence on short-form video and early childhood self-regulation in Indonesian contexts, this review calls for experimental studies with control group designs, standardized self-regulation instruments, and systematic evaluation of exposure duration and stimulation frequency to inform evidence-based PAUD policy.
References
Afifah, N., Rahayu, A. P., Veronica, N., & Abidin, R. (2023). The use of ICT based on animated videos with the show and tell method on children's language development. Journal of Obsession: Journal of Early Childhood Education, 7(4), 4107–4118. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v7i4.3659
Chen, V. T., & Adler, J. L. (2022). Parental mediation of children's digital media use: A systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 137, 106468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106468
Cowell, L., & Kearney, L. (2023). Digital media use and child development: Evidence from longitudinal studies. Pediatrics, 151(2), e2022059876. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-059876
Falikman, M. (2021). There and back again: A reversed Vygotskian perspective on digital socialization. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 501233. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.501233
Hirsch-Pasek, K., Zosh, J. M., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2021). Putting education in “educational” apps: Lessons from the science of learning. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 22(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100621994240
Huberman, B., Chiong, C., & Nagler, T. (2022). Parental mediation and children's digital media use: A meta-analysis. Journal of Children and Media, 16(4), 589–608. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2022.2045678
Irzalinda, V., & Latifah, M. (2023). Screen time and early childhood well-being: A systematic literature review approach. Journal of Family Sciences, 8(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.29244/jfs.vi.49792
Juannita, E., & Mahyuddin, N. (2022). Interactive multimedia-based learning videos in improving early childhood listening skills. Journal of Obsession: Journal of Early Childhood Education, 6(4), 3300–3313. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v6i4.2198
Kamilla, K. N., Aprilia, A., & Putri, P. (2025). The impact of gadget addiction on the ability to regulate emotions in children aged 4–5 years. Aulad: Journal on Early Childhood, 8(2), 878–888. https://doi.org/10.31004/aulad.v8i2.1173
Kurniawan, F. A. (2025). A literature study on the negative impact of gadget use on early childhood social development. Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal, 4(1), 177–183. https://doi.org/10.55606/jimas.v4i1.1753
Kusnaeni, Y., & Azhari, M. R. (2022). The impact of short video content consumption on early childhood social interaction. Golden Age Journal, 6(2), 301–315. https://doi.org/10.29408/goldenage.v6i2.6213
Lestari, K. I. (2025). The impact of overstimulation of digital content on children's concentration. Paedagogy: Journal of Educational Sciences, 5(1), 198–205.
Livingstone, S., & Blum-Ross, A. (2020). Parenting for a digital future: How hopes and fears about technology shape children's lives. Oxford University Press.
McArthur, B. A., Browne, D., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2022). Screen time and executive function in early childhood: A systematic review. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(9), 987–995. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1234
Nasution, T., Hasibuan, M. A., & Damanik, R. (2022). The effect of gadget use on social interaction skills in early childhood. Journal of Social Science Research, 4(3), 588–594.
Nuraini, F., & Wardhani, J. D. (2023). The relationship between the duration of playing gadgets and children's social-emotional development. Journal of Obsession: Journal of Early Childhood Education, 7(2), 2245–2256. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v7i2.4198
Page, M. J., et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Pratiwi, A., & Suharso, P. (2023). Developmental neuroscience and its implications for digital media exposure in early childhood. Journal of Obsession, 7(3), 2890–2904. https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v7i3.4521
Putri, N. Z., Fuadi, F. T., Adilla, F., & Hartono, R. (2025). Digital parenting: Increasing parental awareness in managing gadget use in early childhood. Journal of Science Vision, 3(8).
Rahmawati, D., & Setyaningsih, R. (2023). Parental mediation in digital media use and early childhood self-regulation. Journal of Early Childhood Education, 17(2), 210–226. https://doi.org/10.21009/JPUD.172.08
Sarwar, S., & Ahmad, Z. (2023). Self-regulation in early childhood: A conceptual framework for digital media contexts. Early Child Development and Care, 193(4), 512–525.
Setyarini, D. I., et al. (2023). The impact of screen time on early childhood development. Journal of Obsession, 7(2), 2496–2504.
Suciati, E. (2024). The impact of mobile phone use on early childhood concentration. Pavaja Journal, 6(2), 20–23.
Susilowati, I. H., et al. (2021). Screen time for preschool children during COVID-19. Global Pediatric Health, 8, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X211017836
Tomfohr-Madsen, L., Rogers, M., & Ghimirey, A. (2022). Screen time and self-regulation in early childhood. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01345-9
Wicun, D., et al. (2025). Short-form content and reading interest in Generation Alpha. Journal of Language and Literature, 8(2), 74–94.
Yor Flor, M., Santos, R., & Chen, L. (2022). Educational video content and vocabulary acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(4), 678–695. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000678
Zulfah, M., et al. (2023). Psychoeducational program for gadget use in early childhood. Murhum Journal, 4(1), 234–244. https://doi.org/10.37985/murhum.v4i1.197
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Qualitative Research in Early Childhood Education work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
