Rowland, Deborah (2022) Oh No, .... Not Another Guideline! Parental Adherence to Early Years Screen Time Recommendations in a Rural Community. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Screen time in young children is a prevalent concern amongst both parents and child experts. The majority of all western households access some form of transportable screen devices such as video games, tablets, mobile phones, and computers. Children from zero to five years are at a crucial stage of neurological growth and screen media has been determined to influence appropriate development. Parents play an imperative role in influencing and monitoring screen use. The research study aimed to identify parental barriers and enablers of adherence to the Australian Government screen-time guidelines, in order to improve young children’s developmental outcomes. It also aimed to explore these barriers from the perspective of an under investigated rural population.
This qualitative study was guided by Ecological Systems Theory and Behaviour Change Wheel Framework to explore parental beliefs, motivation, and capability in adherence to the screen time recommendations. Fourteen parents of children five years and below, were recruited from local kindergartens, child health centres, and playgroups in Proserpine, North Queensland. Participants were interviewed via teleconference - Zoom or telephone. Content analysis revealed barriers and enablers to adherence of screen-time guidelines for children were a) device accessibility and use factors, including engagement and accessibility of screen devices; b) family influences, involving competing demands of a household and family dynamics, and c) environmental factors, such as accessibility to outdoor spaces and community connectiveness. Results from this study may assist behaviour change interventions with developing appropriate parent education and support for parents in adhering to the recommendations.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Govind Krishnamoorthy |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Aug 2025 02:52 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Aug 2025 02:52 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Young Children; Screen Use; Guidelines; Child Development; Adherence |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52717 |
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