Screen time use and Children’s Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
Parents with school-aged children have experienced numerous hardships during the 2020-2021 academic school year, including school closures, lockdowns, and travel restrictions. Higher levels of parent stress and screen time may adversely impact children’s behavioural outcomes. This longitudinal survey study examined the associations of parent stress, parenting styles, and prolonged screentime on internalizing and externalizing behaviours in school-aged children. Parents (n = 108) completed survey measures at two time points over the 2020-2021 academic school year. Two generalized estimating equations were performed. There was a significant positive interaction between parent stress and screen time (B = < .001; p = .001) on children’s internalizing behaviours. Parent stress was positively associated with externalizing behaviours (B = 0.43, p < .001). These findings indicate that parent stress and screen time are key risk factors for child mental health. Targeted family intervention plans may be essential to curtailing parent stress and screen time use.