Conceptual Understanding of Screen Media Parenting: Report of a Working Group

Abstract

Screen media (television, computers, and videogames) use has been linked to multiple child outcomes, including obesity. Parents can be an important influence on children's screen use. There has been an increase in the number of instruments available to assess parenting in feeding and physical activity contexts, however few measures are available to assess parenting practices regarding children's screen media use. A working group of screen media and parenting researchers convened at the preconference workshop to the 2012 International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) annual meeting, "Parenting Measurement: Current Status and Consensus Reports," to identify and prioritize issues in assessing screen media parenting practices. The group identified that screen media use can pose different risks for children, depending on their age and developmental stage, across physiologic, psychosocial, and development outcomes. With that in mind, a conceptual framework of how parents may influence their child's screen-viewing behaviors was proposed to include the screen media content, context of viewing, and amount viewed. A research agenda was proposed to prioritize a validation of the framework and enhance the ability of researchers to best assess parenting influences across the three domains of content, context and amount of children's screen media use.

Associations between screen media parenting practices and children’s screen time in Lebanon

“…These specific interactions with children stem from parents' perception of screen media effectiveness in modifying their children's behavior (O'Connor et al, 2013). Our results show that exceeding the recommended screen time limit is positively associated with parents' usage of screen devices as disciplinary tools.…”

“…Screen media parenting practices are defined as the set of parental behaviors or interactions with their child that influence the latter's screen media use (O'Connor et al, 2013) in terms of the three dimensions recommended by the AAP guidelines: amount, content and context (American Academy of Pediatrics: Children, adolescents, and television, 2001). For example, parenting practices include setting rules that limit total viewing, content restriction and viewing context (coviewing with parents, no screen in bedrooms, etc.…”

Maternal Beliefs and Parenting Practices Regarding Their Preschool Child’s Television Viewing

“…17 Health behavior theories, such as the Theory of Reasoned Action, emphasize that one's beliefs about a specific behavior can be precursors to a behavior. 18 Thus, parental beliefs about TV viewing may lead to specific parenting practices in this domain.…”

Stimulating Innovations in the Measurement of Parenting Constructs

“…This article is part of a larger supplement on this topic, and recommendations for the field are published in other articles that are part of this supplement. [20][21][22][23] The extent to which certain areas might be more worthwhile to explore than others remains unknown. To help researchers move the field forward in each of the areas discussed, Table 1 lists strategies that may be employed or studies that may be conducted to address each of the areas brought forward in this article.…”

“…This article aims to stimulate innovations in the measurement of parenting by briefly discussing approaches that may be used; however, those interested in recommendations for the field should consult other articles published within this supplement. [20][21][22][23] Potential Solutions for Improving Parenting Assessment…”