Home‑rearing environment and preschoolers’ academic and behavioral competence: The indirect role of children’s screen time

Abstract The home-rearing environment (HRE) is significantly related to preschoolers’ academic and behavioral development. Children’s screen time has become an increasingly important aspect of the family environment in today’s digital age. However, few studies explored screen time’s indirect role in the relationships between HRE and children’s development. This study was conducted in three provinces of China, and 825 child-parent dyads participated. The results indicated that a high-quality HRE is directly associated with better language and cognitive skills, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and fewer problem behaviors in children. Screen time has an indirect role in this relationship, suggesting that a better HRE associated with lower screen time improves children’s outcomes. However, the HRE did not show a significant indirect role through screen time related to children’s problem behavior, indicating other factors may play a role. The study highlights the importance of fostering enriching home environments and managing screen time to support children’s development.