Exploring contemporary screen time in Australian adolescents: A qualitative study
Open accessAbstract
Issue addressed: Screen time, a highly prevalent behaviour, can be detrimental to adolescent health. To better understand this health‐related behaviour, this study explores the nature of adolescents’ contemporary screen engagement, adding to the currently limited body of qualitative research in this area. Methods: Sixteen adolescents (9 girls and 7 boys) aged 13‐17 years from a secondary school in Queensland, Australia participated in semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Smartphone use was ubiquitous, occurring mostly at home, after school, and typically used for social, entertainment and functional activities. Binge‐watching and multi‐screening emerged as common sedentary patterns of contemporary screen engagement, often performed solitary. Screen time appeared to be an important aspect of adolescents’ social lives, while there were also some psychological, physical and behavioural concerns. Family and friends were thought to influence adolescents’ screen time either directly (co‐participation) or indirectly (modelling), while social smartphone notifications were said to prompt habitual, frequent and prolonged screen engagement. Conclusion: This study provided several new insights into the nature, functions, patterns, and benefits and concerns of adolescents’ contemporary screen engagement. On the whole, adolescents engaged in a wide variety of screen‐viewing practices, including newer digital media, mostly as a function to connect with friends and family. So what?: It might be desirable for screen time reduction interventions and policies to take into account the underlying social and psychological factors, and habitual nature of contemporary screen engagement among adolescents.
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The multiple functions that smartphones offer, including social and recreational tasks performed online, likely cause the greater use of smartphones.
“This is likely caused by the multiple functions that smartphones offer, including the social and recreational tasks performed online [48].”
From Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
Smartphones may have offered an opportunity to socialize with friends whilst watching television shows.
“or offered an opportunity to socialize with friends whilst watching television shows [48].”
From Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
Smartphones may have been used to temper impatience or boredom whilst waiting for a game to load.
“Other possible explanations are that smartphones were used to temper impatience or boredom whilst waiting for a game to load [17,48]”
From Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
This may encourage prolonged recreational use of screens in the bedroom, often whilst sitting or lying down.
“This might encourage prolonged recreational use of screens in this location, often whilst sitting or lying down [48].”
From Using Wearable Cameras to Categorize the Type and Context of Screen-Based Behaviors Among Adolescents: Observational Study (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Thomas, G., Bennie, J. A., De Cocker, K., & Biddle, S. J. H.
- Affiliations
- University of Southern Queensland (AU)
- Physically Active Lifestyles Research Group (USQ‐PALs) Centre for Health Research University of Southern Queensland Springfield Central Qld Australia
- Corresponding author
- Thomas, George
- Venue
- Health Promotion Journal of Australia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-11-27
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- S2
- Pages
- 238-247
- ISSN
- 1036-1073 (ISSN-L)
- 2201-1617
- OpenAlex
- W3105035412
- Semantic Scholar
- b56f3d90e3913205d0033a6fb3be170017c6b99f
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 6.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Health Promotion Journal of Australia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Southern Queensland ePrints (University of Southern Queensland) (acceptedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
- Open Collections
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- screen time, adolescents, smartphone use, binge-watching, sedentary behavior, social media, family influence, peer influence, social connectedness, adolescent health
- MeSH terms
- Screen Time, Adolescent, Australia, Female, Humans, Male, Health Behavior, Internet, Qualitative Research
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