Erlandson, Helena (2019) The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Parents’ Perceptions of Screen-Time in Young Children. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
In today’s digital world technology has become increasingly portable and user friendly, with infinite ways to entertain oneself at the touch of a screen. This availability and ease of use has led to a surge in technology-use for children, raising concerns regarding screen-times impacts. Research links screen-time with sleep-related problems, obesity and decreased cognitive functioning in children, however little research relates to children aged 0 – 6 years. In response to such findings, governments have produced guidelines to help parents manage screen-time in children. Despite these risks and guidelines, parents are eschewing these recommendations in favour of screen-time for their children. The current study aimed to explore parents’ perceptions of the impacts of technology-use on their children aged 6 and under through seven semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify five main themes within the data, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, The Rules, and The Unknown. Analysis of themes indicated that the issue of screen-time in young children is more complex and subtle than previously thought. While parents are excited about new technologies, they often feel overwhelmed, guilty and judged regarding their choices for their children. This study highlights the need for further research into parents’ negative feelings and identifies a need for guidelines that better align with the lived realities of contemporary families.
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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: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Tanya Machin |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 02 Sep 2025 01:50 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Sep 2025 01:50 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Technology; children; young children; screen-time; devices; thematic analysis; impacts; parents |
| 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/52306 |
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