SRINAGARIND MEDICAL JOURNAL

Volume 35, No. 06, Month NOVEMBER, Year 2020, Pages 737 - 745

Parental factors associated with children's screen time in child development center, khon kaen municipality

Aroonluk Kongyoung, Benja Muktabhant

Abstract Download PDF

Background and objective: Screen media usage increased substantially in children’s daily life. Parents play an important role in their children’s screen time. The objective of this study was to determine the association of parental factors including parental perception, parents’ behaviors regarding screen time control of their children, and parents’ screen time with child’s screen time. Methods: A total of 300 pairs of parents and children aged 2-5 years old from the Child Development Center, Khon Kaen Municipality participated in this cross-sectional analytical study. A self-response questionnaire was use to collect information including parental perception about child’s screen time, parents’ behaviors regarding screen time control of their children, parents’ behaviors regarding screen time control of their children, screen time usage of children and parents. The association between parental factors and child’s screen time was analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results: Majority of children (85.7%) and their parents (83.3%) used the screen more than 1 hour/day. The parental perception was classified as high and moderate levels accounting for 58.7 and 40.6 % respectively. Parents’ behaviors regarding screen time control of children was at moderate and good levels,58.0% and 39.3% respectively. The variables which statistically associated with child’s screen time > 1 hour/day were parental perception on obstacle to control screen time of children at moderate-high levels (ORadj 2.93, 95% CI: 1.22-7.05), parents’ behaviors regarding screen time control of children at low-moderate level (ORadj 2.89, 95% CI: 1.29-6.53), and parental screen time > 1 hour/day (ORadj 5.51, 95% CI: 2.57-11.83). Conclusions: Most of the children used screen time more than the recommended level (> 1 hour/ day). The parents should be aware of the effect of screen time usage of children and should avoid screen time usage midst their children. Children should be encouraged to have more physical activities to reduce screen time use.

Keywords

child parental factors screen time

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