The association of parental screen time behaviour and rule-setting with adolescent screen time: Insights from Denmark and Ireland

Background: Using data from Denmark and Ireland, this study empirically examines the associations between parental screen-time behaviour, parental screen-time rule-setting, and the screen-time behaviour of adolescent children. Methods: Danish data collected in 2023 include parent–child reports from children aged 8–15, combining self-reported social media use with screenshot-verified objective measures (n = 1025 parent–child pairs; n = 352 with objective data). Irish data, collected in 2021/22 from 13 year-olds, consists of parental reports on both parental and child screen use and digital rule-setting practices (n = 4424). To explore the relationship between adolescent screen time and parental screen-use habits and rule-setting practices, separate logit models were estimated for each country, controlling for a range of individual and household characteristics. Results: In both countries, maternal and paternal screen habits were positively associated with adolescent screen time and the presence of screen time rules was negatively associated with adolescent screen time. Both subjective and objective measures of social media screen time confirmed these associations for daughters in the Danish sub-sample. Conclusion: Across two distinct national contexts, parental screen time habits and rules were associated with adolescent screen time. These findings are consistent with theoretical expectations regarding the role of observed parental practice and direct regulation. This suggests that promoting healthier digital modelling within the family unit remains an important focal point for adolescent digital behaviours.