# Leveraging passive objective assessment methods of preschooler's media use to examine multiple paths of influence on sleep, executive function and weight status

> **NIH NIH P01** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $1,243,604

## Abstract

Technology and digital media (TDM), which includes TV viewing, playing computer games, and mobile device
use, is common among preschool aged children. Many young children exceed the recommended ≤1 hour/day
of parent supervised TDM use and this varies by sex and race/ethnicity. This is concerning because excessive
TDM use has been linked less desired developmental and health problems. Some of these outcomes, such as
sleep, weight status and executive functioning may be interrelated and should be examined together in one
research program. However, past studies of TDM use among young children primarily relied on parent report of
children’s typical use of TDM, resulting in both over- and under-reporting of TDM use. The validity of findings
from these past studies are therefore questioned. FLASH-TV is a new technology developed by our team to
passively, objectively measure children’s viewing of large digital screens, such as TVs or video-game consoles.
In this research program we propose to leverage FLASH-TV along with new approaches for measuring children’s
use of mobile devices, to robustly assess children’s use of TDM across multiple platforms (TV, mobile devices,
and videogame consoles). This will allow us to investigate the role TDM use has on 1) health outcomes (sleep
and child weight status) in project 1; 2) development (executive function) and weight status in project 2, while
identifying any protective role parental scaffolding has on child TDM use, and 3) the effect of timing of TDM use
close to bedtime on child sleep, circadian rhythm, and executive function using experimental studies in project
3. Three cores will be developed to provide synergy across projects and allow for a cost effective approach to
achieve the aims of all projects. An Administrative Core will oversee the communication and coordination across
projects. A Digital Assessment Core will oversee the passive and objective assessment of TDM use and sleep
among children across all three projects. The Biostatistics and Database Management Core will develop and
oversee databases, harmonize variables, and provide statistical support for all three projects. A cohort of 4-year
old children (n=200) and their parent will be established for the overall program by project 1 to assess the child’s
TDM use, weight status, sleep, and home environment. The cohort will have data collected over 10 days at two
time-points, 12 months apart. Project 2 will leverage the same cohort and measure the child’s executive function
and parent-child interactions during TDM use using robust approaches in an observation lab across three time
points (baseline, 6 months and 12 months). A unique sample will be recruited to participate in the experimental
studies for project 3. For the first time, these novel approaches to passively and objectively measure children’s
TDM use in their home environment over multiple days allows us to assess the with-in and between child
association of children’s TDM use on child ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10906899
- **Project number:** 5P01HD109876-03
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Teresia Margareta O'Connor
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,243,604
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-09 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10906899

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10906899, Leveraging passive objective assessment methods of preschooler's media use to examine multiple paths of influence on sleep, executive function and weight status (5P01HD109876-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10906899. Licensed CC0.

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