Background media use is negatively related to language and literacy skills: indirect effects of self-regulation.

Background and entertainment television are negatively associated with language and literacy skills in 3- to 7-year-old children. We find no relation between educational programming and language and literacy skills. Self-regulation is a potential mechanism underlying the relation between background television and language and literacy skills. Anticipatory guidance for parents would be to consider turning off screen-based media devices when no one is watching. Parents should be mindful of the types of content their children are watching on screen-based media.