JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Over the past three decades, digital and screen media have evolved from broadcast, stationary platforms to a complex environment of interactive, omnipresent, mobile media. Thus, clinical guidance centered around unidimensional concepts such as ‘screen time’ must be modernized to help families navigate the intricate digital ecosystems of readily available entertainment and information.

Objective:

This study aimed to identify and examine distinct latent profiles of media use in families with young children. We hypothesized that latent profile analysis (LPA) would identify different media use profiles characterized by more heavy, reactive, individual, and permissive media use; and more intentional, regulated, and/or shared uses of media.

Methods:

We analyzed data from 398 preschool-aged children. English-speaking parents were recruited through community settings. Participants completed surveys regarding several aspects of family media use: child device use/activities; parent concerns/attitudes; limit setting and mediation; parent media use; and technology interference; these were examined in a latent profile analysis (LPA). The number of latent media profiles was determined using Bayesian Information Criteria. Parents also completed validated scales of parenting stress, depression symptoms, parenting style, child behavior, child sleep, and household disorganization. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine parent, child, and household predictors of group membership.

Results:

The LPA yielded 2 distinct groups that differed in the duration of media used by parents and children, use to calm children, or help children fall asleep. Statistically significant differences between groups included: families in Group 1 (n=236, which we termed Media as Social-Emotional Buffer) had parents who preferred interactions via text or email to in-person (p=0.006) and were more likely to use media to calm their children (p=0.03). In contrast, Group 2 (n=162, Intentional Media) used more task-oriented media, including audio and non-game apps (p=0.01), had more concerns about effects of media on child language development (p=0.04), and used more media restrictions (p=0.01). In regression models, female sex of the parent respondent, greater number of siblings, and later child sleep period independently predicted Group 1 membership.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest divergent family media use patterns that can be categorized into two main media user groups – those that use media to buffer social situations or regulate emotions and those that plan mobile device use around functional purposes and concerns around media exposure. Profiles associate with household size and child sleep. More research is needed to examine the impact of social and emotional uses of media on child outcomes. Clinical Trial: NICHD R21HD094051