Exploring contemporary screen time in Australian adolescents: A qualitative study
Mini-Oral Presentation A2.1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.433Keywords:
Screen Time, Adolescents, Health Behaviours, Qualitative Methods, Social MediaAbstract
Background: Screen time, a highly prevalent behaviour, can be detrimental to adolescent health. However, little is known about the nature of adolescents' screen use, in addition to the context in which their screen use occurs. Purpose: To qualitatively explore the nature of and reasons for contemporary screen use among adolescents. 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 multi-screening 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. 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. Funding: This research was supported by the Research Training Program - International Stipend and Tuition Fees Scholarship.
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Copyright (c) 2021 George Thomas, Jason A. Bennie, Katrien De Cocker, Stuart J. H. Biddle
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