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Assessing the relationship between pediatric media guidance and media use in American families
Matthew A Lapierre1, Jessica Taylor Piotrowski2, Deborah L Linebarger3
1University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA lapierrem@uncw.edu.
Insights
Many parents don't seek media guidance from pediatricians or the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Those who do follow AAP media guidelines are more likely to implement them effectively.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Media Studies
- Parenting Research
Background:
- Parental guidance on children's media use is crucial for development.
- Understanding sources of this guidance can inform public health strategies.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides media recommendations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify demographic factors influencing parental reliance on pediatricians and the AAP for media advice.
- To examine if reliance on these sources correlates with specific child media practices.
Main Methods:
- A national survey of 1454 American parents was conducted.
- Data collected included sources of media advice and reported child media practices.
- Statistical analysis identified predictors of reliance and associations with practices.
Main Results:
- 29% of parents relied on pediatricians, 24.9% on the AAP, and 14.9% on both.
- Parents following AAP media guidelines were more likely to prohibit bedroom TV.
- Adherence to all AAP media guidelines was higher among those relying on the AAP.
Conclusions:
- Reliance on pediatricians and the AAP for media guidance is relatively low, indicating a need for increased outreach.
- Parental engagement with AAP media advice positively influences child media practices.
- Targeted interventions may enhance the dissemination and adoption of pediatric media recommendations.
Objective:
American parents were surveyed to isolate demographic factors that predict reliance on a pediatrician, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), or both for media guidance. We then investigated whether reliance on these resources resulted in different media practices with children.
Methods:
A nationally representative survey was conducted (n = 1454). Parents were asked what medical professionals they relied on for advice and reported relevant home media practices related to their child.
Results:
In all, 29% reported relying on their pediatrician, 24.9% said that they relied on the AAP, and 14.9% of all parents said they relied on both. Those following the AAP's media guidelines were more likely to prohibit bedroom television and to follow all guidelines.
Conclusions:
The relatively low reliance on the AAP and pediatricians for media guidance suggest that more outreach is necessary. However, parents who report relying on the AAP for advice are more likely to enact these recommendations.
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