JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

There is a lack of research on long-term trends in adolescent screen time and associated factors specific to family structures.

Objective:

This study introduces comprehensive investigations into the issue of adolescent screen time before and during the pandemic with a focus on family structures.

Methods:

This study used nationwide, large-scale data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBS) from South Korea. We aimed to indicate the changes in adolescent screen time over 15 years from 2008 to 2022.

Results:

This study utilized data from a total of 836,972 individuals, with an age range of 12 to 18 years. (Average of 15.01 years). Among these participants, 433,516 (51.80%) were males and 403,456 (48.20%) were females. The analysis revealed an overall increase in screen time during the pre-pandemic (β, 8.06 [95% CI, 7.74-8.39]), with a notable increase observed at the onset of the pandemic (β, 162.06 [95% CI, 159.49-164.64]). Among diverse family structures, the orphanage group showed the most substantial increase in screen time during the pandemic (βdiff, 221.90 [95% CI, 159.62-284.17]). Risk factors associated with screen time during the pandemic varied by family structures. Notably, the nuclear family group presented distinct screen time-related risk factors, including grade, region of residence, physical activity frequency, sadness and despair, and highest education level of parents.

Conclusions:

This study conducted a 15-year analysis of adolescent screen time by family structure. There was a notable increase in average screen time among adolescents since the onset of the pandemic, with the orphanage group exhibiting a pronounced trend. The risk factors associated with screen time during the pandemic varied for each family structure. Findings from this study suggest that implementation of individualized measures tailored to each family structure should be adopted to effectively address the increased issue of adolescent screen time since the pandemic.