Leveraging a parenting intervention to support healthy media use in U.S. preschoolers with externalizing behavior: A pilot randomized trial

Research shows that exposure to screen media and externalizing behavior problems in young children are linked. Externalizing behavior problems also present a significant barrier to parents attempting to adhere to screen media use recommendations. However, screen media use interventions have not specifically targeted children with externalizing behavior problems. This randomized pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and initial effectiveness of adapting an evidence-based parenting intervention (the School Readiness Parenting Program) to intervene around screen media use with 31 low-income caregivers of preschool-aged children (ages 4 - 5 years) with externalizing behavior in the U.S. Caregivers were randomly assigned to receive either the adapted (<i>n</i> = 16) or the standard (<i>n</i> = 15) versions of the parenting intervention. Results provided positive evidence for feasibility and acceptability. Additionally, there was preliminary evidence of decreases in children's screentime, and increases in educational content, for the adapted intervention group relative to the standard intervention group, and evidence that parent limit setting around screen media use increased in both groups. Results suggest that integrating screen media content into a parenting intervention targeting general parenting skills may be a promising way to help support families who face greater barriers to managing their children's screen media use.