Navigating screen time and language development: An integrated review of parental roles and research trends (2019–2023)

Lim Seong Pek 1, Rita Wong Mee Mee 2 * , Fatin Syamilah Che Yob 1, Venoth Nallisamy 1, Jun S. Camara 3, Cathy Mae Toquero 4
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1 Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University Malaysia, Nilai, MALAYSIA
2 Center for Language, National Defense, University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
3 School of Advanced Studies, Pangasinan State University, Pangasinan, PHILIPPINES
4 College of Education, Mindanao State University, General Santos City, PHILIPPINES
* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: e202533. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/17381
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ABSTRACT

The growing incorporation of digital media into children’s everyday lives has sparked serious concerns about how it affects language development in particular. This research uses a dual-method approach to investigate the relationship between screen time, parental involvement, and children’s language development in line with sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4), which promotes inclusive and high-quality education. A bibliometric analysis was carried out from 2019 to 2023 to map the larger research environment using co-citation and co-occurrence methodologies. The analysis found that sedentary behavior, mental health, and physical health were the most prevalent research clusters. This suggests that language development is not a topic that is widely covered in literature. Language-specific evidence from a few chosen studies was compiled in a narrative review to support these conclusions. This synthesis demonstrates how excessive screen time is linked to delays in vocabulary acquisition, syntactic development, and general verbal competence, especially when parental mediation is lacking. Active parental mediation techniques that seem to lessen these adverse impacts and encourage more fulfilling educational experiences include co-viewing and vocal interaction. This work bridges a critical gap in language-focused research by combining bibliometric and narrative findings, in addition to mapping the intellectual terrain of screen time research. The results call for further multidisciplinary focus on the moderating influence of parental techniques and the language effects of digital media. In order to meet SDG 4, our research ultimately supports educational and policy initiatives that create digital settings that help young children develop their communication skills and lifelong learning.
Keywords: educational gap, engagement, language development, parental, screen time

CITATION

Pek, L. S., Mee, R. W. M., Yob, F. S. C., Nallisamy, V., Camara, J. S., & Toquero, C. M. (2025). Navigating screen time and language development: An integrated review of parental roles and research trends (2019–2023). Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 15(4), e202533. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/17381

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