TITLE:
Predictors of Screen Media Use among Children Aged 3 - 13
AUTHORS:
Doa’a Abdullah Dwairej, Eqbal Mohammad Alfarajat, Lubna Abdullah Dwairej
KEYWORDS:
Screen Time, Problematic, Media, Children, Predictors
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
27,
2025
ABSTRACT: Determining the predictors of screen media use will assist nurses and clinicians to identify the children that are in most need for intervention. There is limited literature regarding the predictors of screen media use among children. This study aimed to examine the association between selected predictors and screen media use among children aged 3 - 13. The findings of this study are based on 192 children aged 3 - 13 and their caregivers recruited from Facebook and WhatsApp groups. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. The participants filled a demographic questionnaire and the Problematic Media Use Measure Short Form to obtain data about parents’ and children characteristics, screen time and problematic use of media. The screen time for 83% of the children was more than two hours. Mobile ownership (beta (β) = 0.22) and conflict about mobile use (beta (β) = 0.16) have significantly predicted the child total screen time. Child age (beta (β) = 0.17) and conflict about mobile use (beta (β) = −0.33) have significantly predicted the problematic use of media. Most children in the current study exceeded the recommended screen time. There is an urgent need to implement interventions that mitigate children’s excessive use of media.