*Corresponding Author: Ms. Yashna David, Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Psychology, School of Liberal Education, Galgotias University. Email: yashnadavid@gmail.com
As paediatric digital saturation reaches unprecedented levels, understanding its longitudinal impact on neurodiverse populations is empirically critical. This study evaluates the synergistic effect of screen exposure, neurodevelopmental status, and domestic scaffolding on developmental trajectories across a 24-month period. A longitudinal cohort of 298 children (N = 596 observations) was analyzed using robust Linear Mixed Models (LMM) to track nine developmental subscales of the Child Development Inventory (CDI). Analysis revealed significant three-way interactions (Time × Diagnosis × Screen Time) for CDI Social (S-40) (p = .032) and Self-Help (SH-40) (p = .044), even when controlling for Baumrind parenting styles and parental education. While Typically Developing Children (TDC) demonstrated relative developmental resilience, High Screen Time (>4 hours/day) significantly suppressed developmental slopes in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), increasing the gap between developmental and chronological age. Notably, the scores of high-screen TDC participants converged with those of low-screen ASD participants at baseline, highlighting a profound risk of clinical misdiagnosis where environment-induced delays mimic neurodiverse phenotypes. All models exhibited exceptional structural integrity (Conditional R² > 0.94; ICCs up to 0.904), with Authoritative parenting and parental education identified as potent longitudinal scaffolds (p < .001). These findings necessitate a paradigm shift toward neurodiversity-oriented digital health guidelines that prioritize environmental modification to optimize outcomes in autistic and neurotypical youth.
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Screen Time, Longitudinal Study, Neurodevelopment, Linear Mixed Models (LMM), Social Skills.
How to cite this article: David Y, Srivastava S. Longitudinal impact of screen time on developmental trajectories in autistic and typically developing children: a 2-year cohort study. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(6s): 16-29; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.6s.3
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None