Parental monitoring challenges and recommendation for managing excessive screen use among students aged 12–14 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A qualitative exploration

Background The pervasive use of social media and recreational internet platforms among students has become increasingly evident. The proper use of devices for students is critical; excessive use leads to a negative impact on students in many areas of their lives. This study aimed to explore the challenges parents face when their children engage in excessive use of electronic digital screens. Additionally, it sought to capture parents, teachers, and student’s,’ recommendations for the best use of digital devices among students. Methods An exploratory qualitative study design was employed to understand parental experience in regulating screen use and strategies adopted to manage its duration and quality. Data was collected between January and April 2024. Students aged between 12 and 14 who attend class six to ten English and Bangla medium schools in Dhaka, and their parents and teachers, were the participants in this study. Data were collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, which were conducted with parents, teachers, and students to capture the perspectives of each stakeholder group. A thematic analysis was conducted in which themes were initially identified inductively from the data and subsequently organized and interpreted using the socio-ecological model as an analytical framework. Results We included 25 students who attended classes six and ten, of whom 56% were male. The key parental challenges identified in this study, including monitoring children’s screen viewing, supervising age appropriate online content, balancing educational and recreational device use, promoting alternative offline activities and lack of digital literacy among parents. Participants’ recommendations included school-based awareness. interventions, national-level guidelines regarding the use of digital devices, development of self-regulatory behavior in students, provision of secure recreational infrastructures, creating scope for outdoor recreational activities among students, enhancing the parent-child bond, and offering interesting options to divert the students from screens. Conclusions The study findings provide a better understanding of the parental challenges of the overuse of devices and recommendations among the population. Effective guidelines for managing students’ screen use require participation from schools, parents, legislators, and students themselves. Further research is required to determine the most effective interventions.