Behind screen time
An examination of parents’ decisions on young children’s screen time
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22416616 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fabio Sticca (0000-0003-3246-5833, University of Teacher Education in Special Needs, corresponding author), Simone Bamert (Kantonsspital Winterthur), Daniela Späni (University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil), Patricia Lannen (0000-0003-3239-2275, University of Basel) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 77 |
| Pages | 173-181 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Early Childhood Research Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0885-2006 • E-ISSN: 1873-7706 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.ecresq.2026.07.001 |
| OpenAlex | W7168252280 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
The aim of the present study was to examine the decision-making processes that lead parents to allow screen time for their children. To this end, screen time among children aged 1 to 48 months was examined through a survey of 129 parents using an online questionnaire. In line with the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior, findings indicate that parents' subjective norms about screen time are linked to their attitudes toward children’s screen time. A more positive attitude toward children’s screen time was in turn linked to a higher intention to permit screen time, which was associated with a higher level of children’s screen time. Perceived behavioral control was not found to play a strong role in this process. Moreover, the age of the child was linked to more favorable subjective norms and attitudes toward screen time as well as to all other aspects of the decision-making process. These results suggest that children’s age and subjective norms might play an important role in children's screen time.
Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Screen time · Suicide prevention · Child Development and Digital Technology · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Literacy, Media, and Education · Media, Gender, and Advertising
The Intention–Behavior Gap
Young children's screen time
Perceived behavioral control moderating effects in the theory of planned behavior
How and Why Parents Guide the Media Use of Young Children
Exposure and Use of Mobile Media Devices by Young Children
On The So-Called “Huber Sandwich Estimator” and “Robust Standard Errors”
The Relative Performance of Full Information Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Missing Data in Structural Equation Models
Efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour
The theory of planned behavior
Ecological Momentary Assessment
Social Influence
Perceived Behavioral Control, Self‐Efficacy, Locus of Control, and the Theory of Planned Behavior 1
Family socioeconomic status and children's screen time
The Influence of Parent Media Use, Parent Attitude on Media, and Parenting Style on Children’s Media Use
Association between neighborhood socioeconomic status and screen time among pre-school children
The Degree of Intention Formation as a Moderator of the Attitude-Behavior Relationship
The transition to parenthood as a critical window for adult health
Affect, generalization, and the perception of risk
Screen-Assisted Parenting
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |