Associations between screen media parenting practices and children’s screen time in Lebanon

• Parents are an important influence on their children’s screen time.
• Parents should avoid using screen media as reward or punishment tools or keep children quiet.
• Parental screen media rules are negatively associated with exceeding recommended screen time.
• Parents should enforce rules regarding the amount of screen media and its context and content.

This study examines whether screen media parenting practices (i.e. using screen media as tools for punishment or reward and setting limits on screen time), and alternate non-electronic activities are associated with children’s screen time. Participants were parents of 4770 children who were six to eleven years old. Using a survey questionnaire, they reported their children’s average daily amount of screen and non-electronic activities times, and their screen-related parenting practices. Odds ratios were computed using logistic regression. Children whose parents reward good achievement/behavior by allowing screen time, punish bad achievement/behavior by prohibiting screen time, and allow screen time to keep them quiet are more likely to exceed the daily screen time recommendation of a maximum two hours. Screen-related home rules, physical activities and other alternate activities associated negatively with exceeding recommended screen time limit. Our study suggests that there is a need to develop effective strategies and intervention programs to educate parents to avoid screen-related parenting practices that increase their children’s likelihood of exceeding the recommended media time.