The topic question of this research is “Should I limit the amount of screen time (TV, computer, video games, etc.) that my school age child has per day?” My personal answer to this question is “Yes, the screen time should be limited”.

Expert Opinion

Hale and Guan present their opinion on the issue in the article “Screen Time and Sleep among School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review”. This article has attracted me by its closeness to the question posed in this research paper and its relation to sleep deviations resulting from the time of screen exposure. Generally, sixty-eight works published from 1999 to 2014 were reviewed. In 90% of the studies, there is the hard evidence that screen time is related to sleep problems and outcomes. Particular results shown in this study varied according to the participant’s age, gender, the weekday as well as the particular type of screen exposure (television, computer, video game, and mobile device). Therefore, the expert opinion concerning the findings presupposes that school-aged children and adolescents should “be advised to limit or reduce screen time exposure, especially before or during bedtime hours to minimize any harmful effects of screen time on sleep and well-being” (Hale & Guan, 2014). Moreover, the authors give advice to carry out more research and take “better account for the methodological limitations of the extant studies and seek to better understand the magnitude and mechanisms of the association” (Hale & Guan, 2014). By adhering to the studies provided and finding solutions for limitations, there is a great possibility to develop and implement interventions or policies that should limit children and youth’s screen time per day.

Research Study

According to the study “Predictors of Parents’ Intention to Limit Children’s Television Viewing” carried out by Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, and Jordan, there is the scientific evidence, which demonstrates a concrete link between screen time and poor health outcomes. 516 random people from caregivers to children (3-16-year old) were surveyed. Parents of adolescents seldom intended to limit screen time (M: 0.05), the medium intention belongs to parents of 3 – 6-year-old (M: 1.49) and 7 – 12-year-old children (M: 1.16) (Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, & Jordan, 2013). The intention for this limitation was determined by attitudes across every demographic group present (β = 0.43). The intention was also related to the normative pressure (β = 0.20). The parents with adolescent children had little intention to reduce their children’s screen time. Also, beliefs and intentions to limit viewing were such: “Limiting television would be associated with the child exercising more, doing better in school, talking to family more and having less exposure to inappropriate content” (Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, & Jordan, 2013).

The limitations of the study lie in the fact that the survey is cross-sectional; thus, the relationship between the intention to limit screen time and the resultant behavior is unknown. Moreover, there is no data about parental screen time. What they watch or play and how it influences their intentions to limit screen time for their children is undefined. Also, the measure of children’s TVV is based on parental reports (which are underestimated). Finally, the random sample can be different across the world and does not represent a urban, suburban or rural community of parents.

In support of my belief that screen time should be limited for children of the school age, both articles tell about the negative influence of too long screen time. For instance, children start to behave differently, they have problems with their sleep, may eat more or less depending on what they watch or play. Moreover, their eyesight becomes poor with time.

Conclusion

To conclude, two articles from PubMed were analyzed. The Expert Article introduced a negative opinion on allowing children to have too much screen time and the consequential sleep deviations. The second article, which was the Research Study, spoke about parental intentions to limit screen time and its correlations with the children’s age and parental attitudes. Therefore, the screen time should be limited. Of course, it depends on parental care and child exposure to the media. However, the consequences are alarming.

The topic question of this research is “Should I limit the amount of screen time (TV, computer, video games, etc.) that my school age child has per day?” My personal answer to this question is “Yes, the screen time should be limited”.

Expert Opinion

Hale and Guan present their opinion on the issue in the article “Screen Time and Sleep among School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review”. This article has attracted me by its closeness to the question posed in this research paper and its relation to sleep deviations resulting from the time of screen exposure. Generally, sixty-eight works published from 1999 to 2014 were reviewed. In 90% of the studies, there is the hard evidence that screen time is related to sleep problems and outcomes. Particular results shown in this study varied according to the participant’s age, gender, the weekday as well as the particular type of screen exposure (television, computer, video game, and mobile device). Therefore, the expert opinion concerning the findings presupposes that school-aged children and adolescents should “be advised tolimitor reduce screen time exposure, especially before or during bedtime hours to minimize any harmful effects of screen time on sleep and well-being” (Hale & Guan, 2014). Moreover, the authors give advice to carry out more research and take “better account for the methodological limitations of the extant studies and seek to better understand the magnitude and mechanisms of the association” (Hale & Guan, 2014). By adhering to the studies provided and finding solutions for limitations, there is a great possibility to develop and implement interventions or policies that should limit children and youth’s screen time per day.

Research Study

According to the study “Predictors of Parents’ Intention toLimit Children‘s Television Viewing” carried out by Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, and Jordan, there is the scientific evidence, which demonstrates a concrete link between screen time and poor health outcomes. 516 random people from caregivers to children (3-16-year old) were surveyed. Parents of adolescents seldom intended to limit screen time (M: 0.05), the medium intention belongs to parents of 3 – 6-year-old (M: 1.49) and 7 – 12-year-old children (M: 1.16) (Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, & Jordan, 2013). The intention for this limitation was determined by attitudes across every demographic group present (β = 0.43). The intention was also related to the normative pressure (β = 0.20). The parents with adolescent children had little intention to reduce their children’s screen time. Also, beliefs and intentions to limit viewing were such: “Limitingtelevisionwould be associated with thechildexercising more, doing better in school, talking to family more and having less exposure to inappropriate content” (Bleakley, Piotrowski, Hennessy, & Jordan, 2013).

The limitations of the study lie in the fact that the survey is cross-sectional; thus, the relationship between the intention to limit screen time and the resultant behavior is unknown. Moreover, there is no data about parental screen time. What they watch or play and how it influences their intentions to limit screen time for their children is undefined. Also, the measure of children’s TVV is based on parental reports (which are underestimated). Finally, the random sample can be different across the world and does not represent a urban, suburban or rural community of parents.

In support of my belief that screen time should be limited for children of the school age, both articles tell about the negative influence of too long screen time. For instance, children start to behave differently, they have problems with their sleep, may eat more or less depending on what they watch or play. Moreover, their eyesight becomes poor with time.

 

Conclusion

To conclude, two articles from PubMed were analyzed. The Expert Article introduced a negative opinion on allowing children to have too much screen time and the consequential sleep deviations. The second article, which was the Research Study, spoke about parental intentions to limit screen time and its correlations with the children’s age and parental attitudes. Therefore, the screen time should be limited. Of course, it depends on parental care and child exposure to the media. However, the consequences are alarming.

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