Why children watch multi-screens

August 4, 2011

Researchers at the University of Bristol and Loughborough University have examined the relationship children have with electronic viewing devices and their habits of interacting with more than one at a time.

Questioning 10–11 year olds, the researchers found that the children enjoyed looking at more than one screen at a time. They used a second device to fill in breaks during their entertainment, often talking or texting their friends during commercials or while they were waiting for computer games to load.

TV was also used to provide background entertainment while a kid was doing something else — especially if a program chosen by the kid’s family was “boring.”

Health campaigns recommend reducing the amount of time children spend watching TV, the researchers said. However, the children in this study often had access to at least five different devices at any one time, and many of these devices were portable.

The children were able to move the equipment between their bedrooms and family rooms, depending on whether they wanted privacy or company. Simply removing a TV from a child’s room may not be enough to address health concerns such as the risk of obesity, lower mental well-being, and health problems in later life, the researchers said.

“We need to work with families to develop strategies to limit the overall time spent multi-screen viewing wherever it occurs within the home,” said Dr. Russell Jago of the University of Bristol.

Ref.: Russell Jago, et al., “I’m on it 24/7 at the moment”: A qualitative examination of multi-screen viewing behaviours among UK 10-11 year olds, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2011; (in press) [link]