Protective by Nature: Outdoor Contexts, Family Influences, and Children's Problematic Screen Behavior

ABSTRACT Objective This cross‐sectional study examined the role of children's nature exposure within the broader interactional family system associated with children's problematic screen behavior. Background With screen‐based technology playing an increasingly central role in children's lives, nature exposure provides a promising but understudied family‐level strategy for supporting healthier screen use and relationships. Method A sample of 334 parents and caregivers (79% female; M = 39.45 years, SD = 5.70) of children aged 5 to 8 years (39% female; M = 6.57 years, SD = 0.99) completed an online survey measuring their nominated child's screen time, problematic screen behavior, temperament, time in nature, and outdoor time without nature, along with assessments of their own parental stress, screen‐time self‐efficacy, and perceived child–parent relationship quality. Results Nature exposure was negatively correlated with children's problematic screen behavior, independent of screen time and other child‐, parent‐, and family‐level factors. In contrast, no significant correlations were found between these factors and outdoor time without nature. Conclusion This study highlights the value of moving beyond screen‐limiting strategies toward family‐based approaches that support protective, health‐positive behaviors such as spending time in nature. Implications This study offers novel considerations for parent‐focused public health messaging and family‐centered approaches to supporting healthy screen use in children. OSF Registration OSF view‐only link .