Letter to the Editor: Review article: The effectiveness of school‐based interventions for reducing screen time – a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Recent evidence shows that school-based interventions to reduce screen time yield only modest effects, suggesting a need to reconsider how digital behavior change is approached in educational settings. Current programs often emphasize individual restriction, overlooking the broader social and cultural environments that shape children's screen habits. We argue for a shift from "screen time reduction" toward promoting Digital Well-Being Literacy, which entails developing students' capacity for mindful, balanced, and critical digital engagement. This direction aligns with 21st-century education priorities, emphasizing autonomy, digital citizenship, and self-regulation rather than avoidance. Screen use is influenced not only by personal choices but also by family routines, teacher modeling, school digital policies, and community expectations. Therefore, future interventions should adopt ecological, multi-level strategies that integrate school, home, and community contexts. Promoting digital self-regulation rather than restriction offers a more sustainable and developmentally meaningful approach to supporting children's well-being in an increasingly digital world.

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Publication Details

Journal
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Published
2026-01-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.70063
Primary Topic
Child Development and Digital Technology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Letter to the Editor: Review article: The effectiveness of school‐based interventions for reducing screen time – a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Riza Amalia
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Child Development and Digital Technology
article

Letter to the Editor: Review article: The effectiveness of school‐based interventions for reducing screen time – a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Riza Amalia
article en

Abstract

Recent evidence shows that school-based interventions to reduce screen time yield only modest effects, suggesting a need to reconsider how digital behavior change is approached in educational settings. Current programs often emphasize individual restriction, overlooking the broader social and cultural environments that shape children's screen habits. We argue for a shift from "screen time reduction" toward promoting Digital Well-Being Literacy, which entails developing students' capacity for mindful, balanced, and critical digital engagement. This direction aligns with 21st-century education priorities, emphasizing autonomy, digital citizenship, and self-regulation rather than avoidance. Screen use is influenced not only by personal choices but also by family routines, teacher modeling, school digital policies, and community expectations. Therefore, future interventions should adopt ecological, multi-level strategies that integrate school, home, and community contexts. Promoting digital self-regulation rather than restriction offers a more sustainable and developmentally meaningful approach to supporting children's well-being in an increasingly digital world.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health
State University of Malang (ID), Universitas Darwan Ali (ID)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 98%
Child Development and Digital Technology
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