Relationship Between Parenting Practices and Children's Screen Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

Abstract

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between parenting practices and children's screen time following the COVID-19 outbreak. Design and methodsThe population of the present cross-sectional study was the parents of children studying in three randomly-selected schools in the western, eastern and central regions of Turkey. The study data were collected between May 15 and 31, 2020, using a descriptive questionnaire form and the Parenting Practices Scale applied to 1115 parents of children between 6 and 13 years of age. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 software package, and with descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analyses. ResultsIt was noted that 68% of the mothers did not work, and 40.2% of the fathers had shifted to a flexible work arrangement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed that 89.6% of the families had established ground rules related to screen time, and that the screen time of the children of 71.7% of the families had seen an increase, amounting to 6.42 ± 3.07 h/day. Gender, age, household income, mother's employment status, family's rules about screen time, and inconsistent parenting practices were defined as significant predictors in the children's screen time model created for the study. ConclusionsA vast majority of the participants stated that their children's screen time had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Practice implicationsScreen time should be monitored, the necessary support should be provided to children, and parents should set ground rules for their children's screen times.