Welcome to Project M.E.D.I.A.

Media Effects on Development from Infancy to Adulthood


Project M.E.D.I.A. is a longitudinal research initiative led by Sarah Coyne at Brigham Young University. Launched in 2017, it is one of the first large-scale studies to track how a wide range of media—phones, social media, television, books, and more—shape children’s development from their earliest months through adolescence.

In its inaugural year, Project M.E.D.I.A. recruited over 500 families in the Denver, Colorado area, enrolling children who were just 0–1 year old. Since then, researchers have visited participating families annually, conducting in-home assessments, observing parent–child interactions, gathering device-use data, and collecting detailed survey responses. This rich, multi-method approach allows the team to understand not only how much media children use, but how media functions within the broader context of family life.

Designed to span 15–20 years, the project investigates both the risks and benefits of media exposure across development. Current research explores topics such as Problematic Media Use, Technoference (how device use disrupts family interactions), and Media-based Emotional Regulation. Beyond these focal areas, Project M.E.D.I.A. examines a wide array of developmental outcomes, including:

Language development
Aggression and prosocial behavior
Body image and gender stereotypes
Educational outcomes
Precursors to media addiction
The influence of parental media habits

By combining behavioral assessments, device-captured data, and longitudinal surveys, Project M.E.D.I.A. offers an unprecedented look at how media shapes children’s lives and highlights not only potential challenges but also protective factors and strategies that help families thrive in a media-saturated world