The effects of a parental intervention on electronic media exposure and sleep patterns in adolescents

Abstract

Introduction There is a gap that widens with age, between the recommended sleep duration and the actual sleep time of adolescents. Due to this gap, bodily and mental functions such as the metabolic and immune systems, performance, memory, school achievement and creative ability can be harmed. Moreover, lack of sleep involves an increased risk of accidents and injuries, conduct problems and the reduced quality of life. Biological factors that explain changes in sleep patterns include delays in the circadian timing system and in the homeostatic system that regulate sleep and wakefulness. These changes cause a growing and continuous delay in sleep phase during adolescence. In addition, a number of environmental factors affect sleep patterns; variables such as: early school start time, increased home work assignments, after school activities, lack of parental demand for adequate sleep hours, and increased “screen time”, or use of electronic media, including television, computer games, internet and cellular phones. Based on the Parental Style model (reference), the authoritative parenting style is characterized by parents’ setting high demands of their children on the one hand, yet displaying high levels of responsiveness to their children on the other hand. The authoritarian parenting style is characterized by parents’ setting high demands of their children on the one hand, and displaying low levels of responsiveness to their children on the other hand. The permissive parenting style is characterized by parents’ setting low demands of their children on the one hand, and displaying high levels of responsiveness to their children on the other hand. In several investigations, the authoritative parenting style has been shown to have a positive influence on child development, promotion of academic achievement and psychosocial competency, and promotion of healthy behaviors in adolescents such as good eating habits, physical activity and the decrease of risky behaviors such as smoking, alcohol, extreme diets and early sexual behavior. The Conceptual Model (Golan, 2006) views the parents as the sole agents of change in their children’s life and focuses on the power of personal example on environmental changes and promotion of the authoritative parental style. This model has been found to be effective in the field of eating disorders, but has never been implemented in the field of sleep. The main aim of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program which deals with increasing parents’ awareness of the changes that characterize adolescents, encouraging the authoritative parental style based on the Parenting Style Model (Buri, 1999); and encouraging parents to make environmental changes at home based on the Conceptual Model (Golan, 2006), in order to promote healthy behaviors including healthy sleep patterns and controlled exposure to electronic media, in young normative adolescents (ages 10–12) . Research Hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: There is a link between the availability and the amount of time spent using electronic media. Adolescents that have media devices inside their rooms are exposed for a longer time to electronic media compared to those who don’t have media devices in their rooms. In addition, there is a link between the availability of the media and sleep patterns. Adolescents that have media devices in their rooms will show delayed sleep patterns and shorter sleep durations compared to those that don’t have media devices in their rooms. Hypothesis 2: There is a connection between parental style, sleep patterns and media exposure habits in young adolescents. Regarding the authoritative parental style it was hypothesized that sleep patterns and exposure to electronic media would be adequate in adolescents. Regarding the authoritarian parental style, it was assumed that sleep duration would be longer and the exposure to electronic media would be shorter compared with other parenting styles. Regarding the permissive parental style, it was assumed that sleep duration would be shorter and the exposure to electronic media would be longer compared to other parenting styles. Hypothesis 3: There is a connection between sleep patterns, media exposure habits and quality of life in young adolescents. The study will find that better sleep patterns and lower exposure to electronic media are related to higher quality of life in young adolescents. Hypothesis 4: The intervention program based on the Conceptual Model will lead to an increase in parents’ knowledge about the changes that characterize adolescents and will promote the authoritative parental style. Hypothesis 5: The intervention program will lead to the improvement of healthy behaviors including sleep patterns, controlled use of electronic media and to the improvement in quality of life of young adolescents. Materials and methods Method. The sample included 70 dyads of parents (mostly mothers) and adolescents from schools in the Jezreel Valley. The experimental group and the control group each consisted of 35 subjects (35 girls) of average age 10.7 (0.9) years. There were three sessions of data collection: 1. baseline, 2. following intervention, 3. three months post intervention. Parents and adolescents reported on electronic media consumption, sleep patterns and quality of life. In addition, parents reported on their parenting styles and adolescents wore an actigraphy monitor (for monitoring their sleep patterns) and filled in a sleep diary for five days. Parents in the experimental group participated in 6 workshops while parents in the control group received information to read by mail, on healthy sleep habits and the effects of excessive media exposure. Results Results Findings showed that 30% of the adolescents didn’t get the adequate amount of sleep and slept less than 8 h per night. In addition 30% were classified as “evening types”. Adolescents watched TV more than 3 h a day and used the computer for more than 2.5 h per day during the week. 40% of the adolescents had media devices in their bedroom. These adolescents consumed more media and slept less as compared to those who don’t have media devices in their rooms. Most of the parents reported having an authoritative parental style; however, only few relationships between parental style and health related behaviors were found. A positive relationship between the permissive parental style and exposure to TV was found. Furthermore, negative relationships were found between inadequate sleep patterns and associated variables such as sleepiness and mood, quantity of media exposure and quality of life. The intervention program increased parents’ knowledge of their children’s health, compared to the control group. Furthermore, the intervention program moderated the negative relationship between age and health related behaviors, whereas this relationship was maintained in the control group. The intervention program improved sleep patterns (advanced bedtime and improved sleep efficiency), reduced media consumption (general media and computer use) and improved quality of life (physical and general). The intervention program created no changes in sleep duration and TV consumption, nor was the authoritative parental style enhanced. Conclusion Discussion. This research is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention program for the improvement of health behaviors including sleep patterns, controlled use of electronic media and the improvement in quality of life of young adolescents, with parents as the sole agents of change. On the theoretical level the research supports and enhances the Conceptual Model and demonstrates that the model may be used in other health areas in adolescents apart from eating habits. This research adds to the body of the literature about the relationships between sleep patterns, exposure to electronic media and quality of life in young Israeli adolescents. Regarding the practical application, the findings show that programs tailored for parents can make changes in health related behaviors in young adolescents. Acknowledgements Based on the research limitations it is suggested that future research should be longer and accompany the parents also during the stage of long-term maintenance of the new behaviors. It is also recommended that future interventions should include the motivational component, which deals with elements related to the motivation for behavioral change, both within the parent and within the adolescent.