Following an explosion of new technologies in recent years, there has been a surge in research examining child-technology interactions. This work shows that the relationship between child development and media use is complex; some aspects of technology offer children and youth benefits, whereas others could negatively impact well-being. To help advance work in this area, the FamilyPsycle lab has started a line of research aiming to understand the nuanced interactions between children and devices from a family perspective. This focuses on examining different forms of technology use in multiple family members and how it relates to the well-being of children and caregivers, their relationships with each other, and overall family well-being.
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Publications
Browne, D. T., Madigan, S., Kiraly, O., Lukavska, K. & Demetrovics, Z. (2025). Family systems in the digital age. In D. Christakis (Ed.), Handbook of Children, Adolescents and Screens. Springer.
Zhang, J., Children and Planning Table of Waterloo Region, & Browne, D. T. (2025). Digital media use, social isolation, and mental health symptoms in Canadian youth: A psychometric network analysis. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science.
Atwal, S., & Browne, D. T. (2024). Screen time and mental health in Canadian youth: An examination of nationally representative data. Psychological Reports, 127(4), 1678-1704. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221139995
Schlossarek, S., Hohls, L., Schmidt, H., Bischof, A., Brandt, D., Borgwardt, S., Browne, D. T., Christakis, D., Hurs-Della Pietra, P., Demetrovics, Z., & Rumpf, H. J. (2024). Which are the optimal screening tools for internet use disorder in children and adolescents? A systematic review of psychometric evidence. Current Addiction Reports, 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-024-00568-w
Zhang, J., Sebben-Colognese, S. & Browne, D.T. (2024). The digital level of analysis: A systemic framework for exploring child development in a technology saturated world. In G. Frizzo (Ed.), Digital Media and Early Child Development: Theoretical and Empirical Issues. Springer.
Schlossarek, S., Schmidt, H., Bischof, A., Bischof, G., Brandt, D., Borgwardt, S., Browne, D. T., Christakis, D., Hurst-Della Pietra, P., Demetrocvics, Z., & Rumpf, H. J. (2023). Psychometric properties of screening instruments for Social Network Use Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A systematic review. JAMA Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5741
Kiraly, O., Browne, D. T., & Demetrovics, Z. (2022). Developmental and family implications of state controlled videogame play in China. JAMA Pediatrics, 176(6), 543-544. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.0322
Király, O., Zhang, J., Demetrovics, Z., & Browne, D. T. (2022). Gambling features and monetization in video games creates challenges for young people, families, and clinicians. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.12.003
McArthur, B. A., Browne, D. T., McDonald, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2022). Screen time as a mechanism through which cumulative risk is related to child socioemotional and developmental outcomes in early childhood. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00895-w
Zhang, J., Madigan, S., & Browne, D. T. (2022). Caregiver’s psychological distress, technology use and parenting: The importance of a multidimensional perspective. Computers and Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107324
Browne, D. T., May, S. S., Colucci, L., Hurst-Della Pietra, P., Christakis, D., Asamoah, T., Hale, L., Delrahim-Howlett, K., Emond, J. A., Fiks, A. G., Madigan, S., Perlman, G., Rumpf, H. J., Thompson, D., Uzzo, S., Stapleton, J., Neville, R., & Prime, H. (2021). From screen time to the digital level of analysis: a scoping review of measures for digital media use in children and adolescents. BMJ Open, 11(5), e046367. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046367
Browne, D. T., May, S., Colucci, L., & Rumpf, H. J. (2021). Developmental and family considerations in internet use disorder taxonomy: Commentary on Montag et al., 2019. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(4), 920-923. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00085
McArthur, B. A., Browne, D. T., McDonald, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2021). Longitudinal associations between screen use and reading in preschool children. Pediatrics, 147(6), e2020011429. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-011429
McArthur, B. A., Racine, N., Browne, D. T., McDonald, S., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2021). Recreational screen time before and during COVID‐19 in school aged children. Acta Paediatrica. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15966
Neville, R. D., Nelson, M. A., Madigan, S., Browne, D. T., & Lakes, K. D. (2021). Does physical activity moderate the association between screen time and psychosocial development in early childhood? Analysis of a longitudinal infant cohort study in Ireland. European Journal of Pediatrics, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-021-04008-z
Rumpf, H. J., Browne, D. T., Brandt, D., & Rehbein, F. (2021). Addressing taxonomic challenges for Internet Use Disorders in light of changing technologies and diagnostic classifications: Commentary on Montag et al., 2020. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 9(4), 942-944. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2020.00094
Browne, D. T., Thompson, D. A., & Madigan, S. (2020). Digital media use in children: Clinical vs scientific responsibilities. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(2), 111-112. http://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.4559
McArthur, B. A., Browne, D. T., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2020). Trajectories of screen use during early childhood: Predictors and associated behavior and learning outcomes. Computers in Human Behavior, 113, 106501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106501
Browne, D. T., May, S., Hurst-Della Pietra, P., Christakis, D., Asamoah, T., Hale, L., Delrahim-Howlett, K., Emond, J. A., Fiks, A. G., Madigan, S., Perlman, G., Rumpf, H., Thompson, D., Uzzo, S., Stapleton, J., Neville, R., & Prime, H. (2019). From ‘screen time’ to the ‘digital level of analysis’: Protocol for a scoping review of digital media use in children and adolescents. BMJ Open. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032184
Browne, D. T., Racine, N., & Madigan, S. (2019). Challenging the association between screen time and cognitive development – reply. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(9), 891. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.2243
Madigan, S., Browne, D. T., Racine, N., Mori, C., & Tough, S. (2019). Association between screen time and children’s performance on a developmental screening test. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(5), 501-502. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056
Mori, C., Temple, J.R., Browne, D. T., & Madigan, S. (2019). Association of sexting with sexual behaviors and mental health among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1658
Madigan, S. Villani, V., Azzopardi, C., Laut, D., Smith, T., Temple, J., Browne, D. T., & Dimitropoulos, G. (2018). The prevalence of unwanted online sexual exposure and solicitation amongst youth: A meta-analysis. Journal of Adolescent Health, 63, 133-141. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.03.012