Prospective Associations Between Media Parenting Practices and Early Adolescent Screen Use: Findings From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study

Aim To assess prospective associations between media parenting practices and screen time and problematic screen use in early adolescents. Methods We used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a prospective cohort of 7947 adolescents [ M age 12.9 years]. Media parenting practices from Year 3 (2019–2021) and adolescent‐reported screen time, app‐reported smartphone time (subsample N = 840), and problematic screen use from Year 4 were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results Use of screens to control behaviour (e.g., as a reward or punishment) and adolescent bedroom screen use were associated with greater screen and smartphone time. Parental screen time modelling and family mealtime screen use were associated with greater screen time. Parental monitoring and limiting of screen time were associated with lower adolescent screen time. Parental monitoring was also associated with lower smartphone time. Parental screen time modelling and use of screens to control behaviour were associated with problematic social media use, while family mealtime screen use, adolescent bedroom screen use, and use of screens to control behaviour were associated with problematic mobile phone use. Conclusion These findings suggest that counselling families on specific media parenting practices may help reduce adolescent screen exposure and problematic screen use.