Does screen exposure necessarily relate to behavior problems? The buffering roles of emotion regulation and caregiver companionship

Abstract

This study aimed to examine putative mechanisms underpinning associations between active use of screen media and behavior problems in a socially diverse sample of 897 Chinese caregivers of 2- to 6-year-olds. A series of analyses using a latent variable modeling framework showed that caregivers' reports of children's emotion regulation partially accounted for negative influences of screen time on behavior problems, and this indirect path varied as a function of caregiver companionship. Specifically, in the context of high levels of caregiver companionship, a significant link between prolonged screen time and behavior problems was suppressed through enhanced emotion regulation, while such suppression effect diminished in the context of low levels of caregiver companionship. In support of the value of parental presence in media use, our study suggests that promoting companionship from caregivers and emotion regulatory skills may serve as protective factors for young children who are highly exposed to screen time and thus at risk for behavior problems. The implications of these findings for guidelines on appropriate screen usage and family media planning are discussed.