Exploring contemporary screen time in Australian adolescents: A qualitative study

Abstract

Screen time, a highly prevalent behaviour, can be detrimental to adolescent health. To better understand this health-related behaviour, this study explores the nature of adolescents' contemporary screen engagement, adding to the currently limited body of qualitative research in this area. Methods Sixteen adolescents (9 girls and 7 boys) aged 13-17 years from a secondary school in Queensland, Australia participated in semi-structured one-on-one interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed using an inductive approach. Results Smartphone use was ubiquitous, occurring mostly at home, after school, and typically used for social, entertainment, and functional activities. Binge-watching and multiscreening emerged as common sedentary patterns of contemporary screen engagement, often performed solitary. Screen time appeared to be an important aspect of adolescents' social lives, while there were also some psychological, physical, and behavioural concerns. Family and friends were thought to influence adolescents' screen time either directly (co-participation) or indirectly (modelling), while social smartphone notifications were said to prompt habitual, frequent and prolonged screen engagement. Conclusion This study provided several new insights into the nature, functions, patterns, and benefits and concerns of adolescents' contemporary screen engagement. On the whole, adolescents engaged in a wide variety of screen-viewing practices, including newer digital media, mostly as a function to connect with friends and family. So what? 2 It might be desirable for screen time reduction interventions and policies to take into account the underlying social and psychological factors, and habitual nature of contemporary screen engagement among adolescents.

Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study

“…Indeed, reports show a decline in watching programs on conventional television sets, despite an increase in consuming television content on the internet [ 47 ]. This is likely caused by the multiple functions that smartphones offer, including the social and recreational tasks performed online [ 48 ]. Moreover, the portability of smartphones allows adolescents to use these devices ubiquitously [ 49 ]; almost anywhere in free-living conditions as reported here.…”

“…One explanation for our findings is that although gaming was used concurrently with smartphones, the latter was predominantly used in the background and therefore was less likely to interfere with adolescents’ cognitive demands of gaming. Other possible explanations are that smartphones were used to temper impatience or boredom whilst waiting for a game to load [ 17 , 48 ], or offered an opportunity to socialize with friends whilst watching television shows [ 48 ]. Further investigations on why adolescents engage in certain multiscreening behaviors (eg, social functions) are needed to help researchers deliver effective interventions to change screen-based behaviors, if deemed necessary.…”

“…It is possible that adolescents feel they have greater privacy and have fewer interruptions from family members in this setting. This might encourage prolonged recreational use of screens in this location, often whilst sitting or lying down [ 48 ]. Indeed, reducing access to screen-based devices in the bedroom has been identified as a facilitator to reduce screen use [ 53 ], although this will not guarantee a reduction in sedentary behavior as other sedentary pursuits may be adopted as a substitute.…”

A Review of the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Online Prosocial Behavior Among Adolescents

“…More specifically, there seems to be a bias in research attention regarding “bad content” and negative effects of media compared to positive content and positive effects. Recent studies have, however, also focused on the potential positive aspects of SoMe use (de Leeuw and Buijzen, 2016 ; Scott et al, 2019 ; Thomas et al, 2020 ; Hjetland et al, 2021 )—for instance, recognizing how SoMe play a key role in the social lives of adolescents (Hjetland et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Much of the previous research on SoMe has focused on its possible effects (Orben, 2020 ; Schønning et al, 2020 ), while some studies focus on drivers for SoMe use and screen-based activities (Scott et al, 2019 ; Thomas et al, 2020 ), such as fear of missing out. Another area of study has been the type of behavior children and adolescents perform on SoMe (Kircaburun et al, 2019 ).…”