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Parental perception on screen time and psychological distress among young children

Annum Ishtiaq1, Hiba Ashraf1, Sundus Iftikhar2

  • 1Family Medicine, The Indus Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
|May 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Children’s screen time in Pakistan exceeds recommendations, with preschoolers viewing more than older children. Parental screen time and device ownership are linked to increased child screen time, highlighting the need for awareness and co-viewing.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology
  • Digital Media Studies

Background:

  • Excessive screen time in children is a growing concern globally.
  • Parental factors significantly influence children's media consumption habits.
  • Understanding screen time's impact on child development is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess parent-reported screen time in children aged 4-12 years.
  • To identify risk factors associated with increased screen time.
  • To examine the relationship between screen time and psychological distress.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study conducted at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
  • 230 employees (135 fathers, 91 mothers) with children aged 4-12 years participated.
  • Data collected via questionnaires on demographics, media history, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Main Results:

  • Average daily screen time: 2.5 hours for boys, 2 hours for girls.
  • Preschoolers had higher screen time than school-aged children (Median IQR: 3 vs 2 hours).
  • Maternal screen time and number of devices per child positively correlated with child's screen time.

Conclusions:

  • Screen time for children in Pakistan often exceeds recommended limits.
  • Parental awareness and co-viewing are essential for managing media-related behavior problems.
  • Creating a tech-free zone is challenging in the digital age.
Abstract

Keywords:
Childrenleisure screen timeparental perceptionpsychological distress

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