Research study on screen use
Recently, there has been a discussion about young children's use of screens (e.g. TV, mobile or tablet) and the overall aim of the study is to increase our knowledge in this area. We are therefore looking for those of you who are expecting a child and are curious about how your everyday life with screens can affect both yourself and your child. By participating in the study, you will help us understand how expectant parents think about screen time and media habits even before the child is born.
Digital media and young children's development: A longitudinal project from pregnancy to age 2
Information for research participants
We would like to ask expecting mothers if they want to participate in a research project. This document provides information about the project and what participation involves.
What kind of project is it and why do we want you to participate?
The research project investigates families with young children, their use of digital media, and its impact on development and family life. We want to understand parents' attitudes, habits, and need for support to create a balanced digital environment for their children. You are being asked to participate because you are pregnant and will soon have a child, which makes your experiences and insights valuable for our research. The organization responsible for the project is Karolinska Institutet. The research has been approved by the Swedish Ethics Review Authority [2025-05040].
How does the project work?
You have probably received this information from your midwife, or you have seen the information on social media. If you agree to participate in the study, you will be asked to complete a survey. The survey is digital (i.e., completed via mobile phone, computer, or tablet), takes about 20 minutes to complete. It contains questions about your own media use and your attitudes towards children's use of digital media. We will then invite all mothers participating in the study to follow-ups when the child is 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months old. In the first survey, we will ask if we can contact you again. However, it is not until the follow-ups that you decide which later parts of the study you want to participate in. Thus, you can cancel your participation at any time without giving any reason.
Possible consequences and risks of participating in the project
Participation in the project involves very limited risks. Surveys may make you reflect on parenting and child development. If necessary, you can always contact the research leader for support and questions. All data is handled confidentially and anonymized during analysis.
What happens to your data?
Your answers from the survey will be processed so that unauthorized persons cannot access them. The data will be used in research articles and will be presented at the group level, which means that each person's data will not be visible. In accordance with current regulations for research in Sweden, data will be retained for at least 10 years after the end of the project. The person responsible for your personal data is Karolinska Institutet. According to the EU Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to access the data about you that is handled in the project free of charge, and to have any errors corrected, if necessary. You can also request that data about you be deleted and that the processing of your personal data be restricted. However, the right to deletion and restriction of processing of personal data does not apply when the data is necessary for the current research. If you would like to access the data, please contact the principal investigator (see contact information below). The Data Protection Officer at Karolinska Institutet can be reached at dataskyddsombud@ki.se. If you are dissatisfied with how your personal data is processed, you have the right to file a complaint with the Swedish Data Protection Authority.
How do you get information about the results of the project?
The results of the project will be reported in scientific journals and via social media and the university's websites.
Compensation
There is no compensation for the first survey now during pregnancy. However, if you choose to participate in the follow-ups, you will receive a gift certificate for each completed survey.
Participation is voluntary
Your participation is voluntary, and you can choose to cancel it at any time. If you choose not to participate or want to cancel, you do not need to state any reason. If you want to cancel your participation, you should contact the person responsible for the project (see below).