Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (2016) recommendation to limit screen exposure in the early years, toddlers’ screen use exceeds these guidelines (Rideout & Robb, 2020). Given the significant role of parental media use in children’s exposure to screens (Domoff et al., 2020; Lauricella et al., 2015), it is important to understand the factors that contribute to parental screen use. Digital technologies have been posited as tools for emotion regulation (Wadley et al., 2020), suggesting that parental emotion regulation may serve as a significant determinant of parental media use. Prior studies have shown the association between emotion regulation strategies and different types of screen use, including non-interactive and interactive media (Extremera et al., 2019; Rozgonjuk & Elhai, 2021). It has also been suggested that the role of emotion regulations strategies may differ by personality traits (Gross & John, 2003). However, limited research to date examined these associations with the focus on parents of toddlers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the association between parents’ emotion regulation strategies on their screen use and the moderating role of personality traits in this association. This study used secondary data collected from an online survey of 296 mothers of children between 18 to 36 months in the United States. Linear regression models were fitted to examine the association between emotion regulation strategies and parental screen use, with a focus on two specific regulation strategies and interactive and non-interactive screen use. They were founded that cognitive reappraisal was not related either non-interactive and interactive screen uses and that expressive suppression was only associated with non-interactive screen use. Cognitive reappraisal was related to agreeableness and expressive suppression was related to extraversion. No moderator roles of agreeableness on the association between cognitive reappraisal and both types of screen use and extraversion on the association between expressive suppression and both types of screen use were found. Future research is needed to test the possible biases resulting from the self-report technique, understand the causation between emotion regulation strategies and screen use, and include the context of screen media for deeper understanding. / Toddlers use screens, like smartphones and tablets, more than recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics (2016), and understanding why may help to support children’s healthy developmental outcomes. How much parents use screens is related to how much children use screens (Lauricella et al., 2015), making it valuable to examine parents' screen use. Screens may help individuals learn to control or regulate their emotions (Wadley et al., 2020), suggesting that parental emotion regulation may be one reason that parents use screens. Prior studies have shown that emotion regulation is related to different types of screen use, including non-interactive (e.g., video viewing) and interactive media (e.g., playing video games; Extremera et al., 2019; Rozgonjuk & Elhai, 2021). I examined two strategies of emotion regulation: cognitive reappraisal, which is reinterpreting the situation that cause emotions, and expressive suppression, which is hiding and inhibiting emotions. It has also been suggested that the role of emotion regulations strategies may differ by personality traits (Gross & John, 2003). However, limited research to date examined these associations with the focus on parents of toddlers. The current study examined how maternal cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression related to both non-interactive and interactive screen use and moderating role of personality traits on these relations. Mothers of toddlers (N = 296; M_age = 31.8 years) completed surveys for this study. Findings showed that cognitive reappraisal was not related to either non-interactive or interactive screen use, although it was related to agreeableness and that expressive suppression was related to non-interactive screen use and extraversion. Associations between these two emotion regulation strategies and both types of screen use were not moderated by personality characteristics. Further explanation is needed to examine the context of screen media and the causal links between emotion regulation strategies and screen use.

The aim of this study was to analyse ninth graders self reported screen based activities, sedentary time and musculoskeletal symptoms and pain intensity. The other aim was to examine changes regarding musculoskeletal pain and inactivity between ninth graders from a cross sectional study in year 2004. To meet this aim, following questions were designed: How is the relationship between screen based activities, inactivity, musculoskeletal symptoms, pain intensity and differences between girls and boys? How have musculoskeletal symptoms and screen time changed since year 2004? Method: The method used for this study was a quantitative method. The research was carried out using a questionnaire that was answered by pupils from 11 schools from all over Sweden. The response rate was 85 % (n=465). The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Mobile phones were used three times more by girls and TV Games were used seven times more by the boys.  Tablet computers were used more randomly by 80% of the youths. Headache occurred 58% and neck pain occurred 68 % with those who used mobile phone >3 and >5 hours per day. Backache occurred with 19% of those watching TV > 3 hrs. Headache ongoing for more than a month occurred twice as much among the girls and was perceived as having a severe effect on everyday life. Boys reported neck ache and shoulder ache longer than a month somewhat to a greater extent. Nearly twice as many of the boys considered themselves being more physical active and resemble the most active person. Total sedentary time was not significant but a third of the youths reported that sitting time for 7-9 hrs during weekdays and 4-6 hrs during weekends. Differences between 2004 and 2013 showed that occurrence of ache and continuous back pain decreased whilst headache and continuous back pain increased with the boys. Conclusions: Headaches, neck pain and backaches are common among 9th graders and it seems to be a relationship with time exposure to different screen activities. Further research investigating gender differences and pain is important, in particular among girls who seem to be more vulnerable. / Studiens syfte var att analysera niondeklassares självrapporterade skärmbaserade aktiviteter, fysisk inaktivitet samt muskuloskeletala symptom, smärtintensitet och påverkan i vardagen. Vidare var syftet att göra jämförelser med resultat från en tvärsnittsstudie år 2004 i samma skolor för att se eventuella skillnader. Frågeställningarna var: Hur ser sambandet ut med skärmbaserade aktiviteter, fysisk inaktivitet samt muskuloskeletala symtom, smärtintensitet och påverkan i vardagen? Finns några könsskillnader? Hur har muskuloskeletala besvär, inaktivitet och skärmbaserad tid förändrats i jämförelse med niondeklassare år 2004? Metod: En kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie med enkäter som besvarades av 465 elever (85 %) på 11 skolor. Populationen hämtades från SIH projektet år 2004 som bestod av ett slumpmässigt urval från skolor i hela Sverige. Resultat: Mobiltelefonen användes av tre gånger så många flickor, TV spel av sju gånger så många pojkar. Surfplatta användes aldrig eller sällan av 80 %. Nackvärk och huvudvärk förekom ofta bland 68 % respektive 58 % av de som använde mobilen >3 timmar eller mer. Ryggvärk förekom bland 19 % som tittade TV > 3 timmar. Huvudvärk mer än en månad förekom dubbelt så ofta hos flickor och upplevdes ha en svår påverkan i vardagen. Dubbelt så många pojkar ansåg sig mest fysiskt aktiva i vardagen och ansåg sig likna den person som är mest fysiskt aktiv. Stillasittande tid var inte signifikant men en tredjedel av ungdomarna uppgav att de sitter stilla 7-9 h på vardag och 4-6 h på helgdag. Mellan år 2004 och år 2013 ökade förekomsten av huvudvärk och pågående ryggsmärta bland pojkar. Slutsats: Smärta i huvud, nacke och rygg är ofta förekommande bland niondeklassare och samband tycks finnas med långvarig exponering av olika skärmbaserade aktiviteter Självrapporterad smärta har i jämförelse med en tvärsnittsstudie år 2004 minskat förutom huvudvärk och ryggsmärta som ökat bland pojkar. Vidare forskning kring könsskillnader och smärta är angeläget i synnerhet bland flickor som är mer drabbade.

This diploma thesis focuses on the usage of digital technologies by children of early school age (1st to 3rd grade of elementary school). The aim of the thesis is to map in detail the use of screens in children aged 6-9 years and determine the age that would be suitable for the implementation of prevention programs aimed at the healthy use of technologies by children. The research is interested in how much time the children of a given age spend using electronic screens and what type of screens they usually use, what activities they do on the device, how the use differs between boys and girls and whether there are differences in use by children among the first three grades of primary school. The chosen research design is a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in an online form intended for parents. The results of the research showed that the amount of screen time increased with the age of the child and a larger increase was observed mainly in children in the 3rd grade of primary school. Most often, children spend time on mobile devices (smartphone or tablet) and watching TV. We also noticed a slight increase in the use of game consoles for boys in the 3rd grade of primary school, while girls use these devices hardly ever. Thus, prevention programs and education on the safe use and the risks...

Supervisor: Nina Lindén Åkerlund Examiner: Staffan Bengtsson This study aims to investigate the impact of screen use on children and young adults. Previous research regarding screen use among children and young adults is compiled in a literature review in the form of a scoping review. The results have been thematically analyzed with the help of the SOC-theory (sense of coherence) and ecological systems theory. The results show that screen use has both positive and negative aspects that can be understood through factors of risk and protection which are prevalent on individual, group and societal levels. The study contributes to the understanding of the impact that screen use has on children and young adults and is particularly relevant in relation to social work.

Contexte : Malgré les directives sur le temps d’écran, les enfants passent plus de temps sur des appareils électroniques qu’auparavant, ce qui en fait un facteur de risque important pour le développement social ultérieur. Les facteurs de protection à l’utilisation prolongée des écrans dans le contexte de l’enfance sont peu explorés. Partager des repas dans un contexte familial pourrait offrir un moyen de favoriser le développement psychosocial et de contrer les risques associés au temps d’écran élevé. Cette étude examine l’interaction entre l’environnement des repas en famille et la tendance de temps d’écran à la petite enfance sur les principales relations sociales des adolescents. Il est attendu qu’une meilleure qualité des repas en famille joue un rôle protecteur sur l’association entre les tendances d’habitudes d’écran et les relations sociales adolescentes. Méthode : Les participants sont 1 455 enfants (50,9 % de filles) de la cohorte de naissances de l’Étude longitudinale du développement des enfants du Québec. Les parents ont rapporté l’utilisation d’écrans des enfants à 2 et 6 ans et la qualité de l’environnement des repas en famille à 6 ans. Les parents et les enfants ont respectivement fourni des mesures sur la relation parent-enfant et la victimisation à 13 ans. Les analyses ont testé l’association directe entre les tendances du temps d’écran et la qualité de l’environnement familial durant les repas sur les relations sociales ultérieures, en utilisant des régressions linéaires. Les analyses de modération ont ensuite examiné l’interaction entre les tendances de temps d’écran et la qualité de l’environnement des repas en famille sur les relations sociales. Résultats : Nous avons observé qu’une hausse dans le temps d’écran était associée à une relation père-fille moins conflictuelle et moins de victimisation chez les filles ainsi qu’à des relations moins positives avec les deux parents et moins de victimisation chez les garçons. Pour tous, un meilleur environnement lors des repas était associé à des relations sociales plus saines avec les parents et les pairs. L’environnement familial lors des repas avait un effet modérateur distinct sur l’association entre les habitudes télévisuelles et les relations des filles avec leur mère ainsi que leurs pairs. Entre autres, lorsque les repas représentaient une occasion d’expression et de communication, une hausse du temps d’écran était associée à une relation mère-fille plus positive et moins conflictuelle. Étonnamment, les filles participant à des repas en famille moins positifs et ayant une tendance de temps d’écran plus élevée éprouvaient moins de victimisation à l’adolescence. L’interaction entre les tendances de temps d’écran et la qualité de l’environnement des repas en famille n’était pas trouvée significative pour les garçons. Conclusion : Encourager les repas familiaux représente une activité simple/rentable qui peut compenser certains risques à long terme associés à une utilisation accrue des écrans au-delà des caractéristiques individuelles et familiales préexistantes et concurrentes. Les initiatives de santé publique devraient considérer les repas en famille comme une stratégie d’intervention complémentaire aux directives d’utilisation des écrans. Les directives sur l’utilisation des écrans devraient considérer les repas en famille comme une stratégie compensatoire. / Background: Despite screen time recommendations, children are increasingly spending time on electronic devices, rendering it an important risk factor for subsequent developmental outcomes. Not much is known about protective factors in childhood context. Sharing meals could offer a way to promote psychosocial development and counter risks associated with screen use. This study examines the interaction between family meal environment and early childhood screen time on key adolescent social relationships. We expect that better mealtime environment plays a protective role in the association between screen time trends and adolescent social relationships. Method: Participants are 1455 millennial children (50.9% girls) from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development birth cohort. Parents reported on child screen use at ages 2 and 6 years and family meal environment quality at age 6 years. Parents and children reported on parent-child relationships and victimization experiences, respectively, at age 13 years. Multiple regression estimated the direct association between screen time trends and family meal environment quality and the interaction between screen time trends and family meal environment quality on later social relationship outcomes. Results: We observed that a greater increase in screen time was associated with a less conflictual father-daughter relationship and less peer victimization for girls as well as less positive relationships with both parents and less victimization for boys. For both girls and boys, a better mealtime environment was associated with better social relationships with parents and peers. For girls, early childhood screen time trends had distinct impacts on relationships with mothers and peers, conditional on mealtime environment. When family meals are an opportunity to express feelings and communicate, increasing trends in screen time are associated with more positive and less conflictual mother-daughter relationships. These same increases in screen time were associated with less peer victimization when family meal environment quality was more dysfunctional. No meaningful non-linear associations between screen time trends and family meal environment quality were observed for boys. Conclusion: Capitalizing on family meal environment represents a simple/cost-efficient activity that can compensate for some long-term risks associated with increased screen use, above and beyond pre-existing and concurrent individual and family characteristics. Public health initiatives may benefit from considering family meals as a complementary intervention strategy to screen use guidelines.