Analysis of extracurricular screen time and family related factors among the primary and middle school students in a district of Shanghai

ObjectiveTo analyze the status of and family-related factors associated with extracurricular screen time (ST) among the primary and middle school students in a district of Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for the development of targeted intervention measures.MethodsA total of 819 students and their parents from one primary school and one middle school were selected by stratified cluster sampling method from November to December 2022 in a district of Shanghai. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the total extracurricular ST and entertainment ST during school days, weekends and summer and winter vacation, as well as the underlying family-related factors. Taking daily total extracurricular ST>2 h as excessive extracurricular ST and daily extracurricular entertainment ST>1 h as excessive extracurricular entertainment ST.ResultsAmong the 795 valid questionnaires, the proportions of excessive extracurricular ST during school day, weekend and summer and winter vacation were 10.9%, 42.1% and 51.1%, respectively, and the proportions of excessive extracurricular entertainment ST were 16.2%, 63.0% and 71.3%, respectively. The proportion of excessive extracurricular ST on weekend and summer and winter vacation was higher for middle school students than for primary school students, and the proportion of excessive extracurricular ST was higher for the students whose father’s educational level was high school and below than for those whose father’s educational level was junior college and above (both P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis after controlling confounding factors showed that the students with poor parent-child relationships (aOR=1.40‒1.96) and parental daily ST>2 h (aOR=1.83‒3.85) were more likely to have an excessive total extracurricular ST and entertainment ST.ConclusionThe proportion of excessive extracurricular ST for the primary and middle school students in Shanghai is relative high during weekend and summer and winter vacation, especially for entertainment purposes. Improving parent-child relationships and reducing parental excessive ST may be important intervention measures.