Research
Project M.E.D.I.A. is a groundbreaking longitudinal research study led by Sarah Coyne at Brigham Young University, launched in 2017 to examine how media use shapes children’s development from infancy through adolescence. Beginning with more than 500 families in the Denver, Colorado area, the project follows children enrolled at ages 0–1 with annual in-home visits, behavioral assessments, parent–child observations, device-use data, and detailed surveys.
Designed to span 15–20 years, the study explores both the risks and benefits of media exposure within the context of everyday family life. Current research focuses on Problematic Media Use, Technoference, and Media-based Emotional Regulation, while also examining outcomes such as language development, aggression and prosocial behavior, body image, educational achievement, early signs of media addiction, and the influence of parental media habits.
Through its comprehensive, multi-method approach, Project M.E.D.I.A. provides an unprecedented look at how media impacts children—and identifies the protective factors and strategies that help families thrive in a media-saturated world.
