Parents Must Be Vigilant in Monitoring Children's Media Use.

This is an abstract from the most recent issue of JAMA Pediatrics.

Children spend more time with electronic media than they do in any other activity, aside from sleep. Many of the negative effects that stem from media exposure may be reduced by parental monitoring of children's media use; however, there lacks a clear understanding of the mechanisms and extent of these protective effects.

The objective of this study was to determine the prospective effects of parental monitoring of children’s media on physical, social, and academic outcomes.

Data were collected by in-home and in-school surveys in 2 communities in Iowa and Minnesota, where 1323 third, fourth, and fifth grade students participated. A primary caregiver and teachers also provided data about the student. Body mass index, average weekly sleep, school performance, prosocial behavior, and aggressive behavior were tabulated.

The results revealed that parental monitoring of children’s media influences children’s sleep, school performance, and prosocial and aggressive behaviors and that these effects are mediated through total screen time and exposure to media violence.

In conclusion, this study shows that parental monitoring of media has protective effects on a wide variety of academic, social, and physical child outcomes. Health professionals are uniquely positioned to provide scientifically based recommendations to families; encouraging parents to monitor children’s media carefully can have a wide range of health benefits for children.