Help kids to reduce screen time in summer

School psychologists and counsellors are increasingly asked to support children and families in navigating healthy screen use.

Excessive screen use among children is a growing concern and is associated with adverse health outcomes. In their recent study, Rajagopal, Nisar, Morawska, J Edwards and Khan (2026) synthesised global evidence on family-based interventions for managing screen use among children and adolescents aged 5-18 years.

A comprehensive search across eight databases (January 2000-November 2024) identified 45 interventions, 62 per cent of which were school-based, examining screen use duration, content, context, and interactions. A random-effects meta-analysis showed a reduction in total screen time (SMD = −0.11, 95% CI [−0.20, −0.02]); however, the effects on other outcomes, including television viewing, computer use, and gaming time, were inconsistent.

An intervention component analysis and a qualitative comparative analysis were conducted on 15 high-quality, effective interventions. Six of the 17 components demonstrated high consistency, including individual-focused components (classroom lessons, educational resources, interactive activities, and content designed to build children's knowledge, awareness, and digital skills) and family-focused components (informative materials and parent education).

The same review further highlighted that most school-aged children and adolescents globally exceed recommended daily limits for screen time, with consistently high levels of excessive use observed across age groups and countries (Qi et al., 2023, as cited in Rajagopal et al., 2026). Screen time is defined as the total duration spent using electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops and televisions (Kaye et al., 2020), whereas screen use refers to a broader range of activities facilitated by these devices, including watching television, online learning and social media engagement. Discretionary or recreational screen use refers to leisure-based activities unrelated to educational or occupational purposes, typically characterised as passive or sedentary in nature (Celis-Morales et al., 2018; Tremblay et al., 2017).

Guidance from paediatric and public health authorities emphasises the importance of parental regulation and structured media use within the home environment. Recommendations include limiting total entertainment screen time to less than 1-2 hours per day, avoiding screen media exposure for children under the age of two, and keeping televisions and Internet-connected devices out of children’s bedrooms (Council on Communications and Media, 2013). Parents are also encouraged to actively monitor the content their children access, including websites and social media platforms, to co-view media with children and adolescents as an opportunity to discuss values, and to establish a family media plan that includes clear rules regarding mobile phone use, texting, Internet access and social media engagement, particularly during mealtimes and before bedtime (Council on Communications and Media, 2013).

Building on these recommendations, a wide range of interventions have been developed across home, school, community, and digital settings to support the regulation and balancing of children’s screen use.

These interventions primarily focus on behaviour change strategies aimed at reducing screen time and minimising problematic use (Jones et al., 2021; Krafft et al., 2023; Oh et al., 2022). Among these approaches, school-based interventions are particularly prominent, as schools provide structured environments for delivering classroom education, counselling and peer-learning opportunities (Friedrich et al., 2014; Throuvala et al., 2020).

In conclusion, family engagement is a critical component, with evidence indicating that household rules, parental modelling, and active monitoring are associated with reduced screen time among children and adolescents (Arundell et al., 2020; Marsh et al., 2014; Minges et al., 2015). Despite increasing adolescent autonomy, families remain uniquely positioned to regulate media use, where most recreational screen use occurs (Ding et al., 2024, as cited in Rajagopal et al., 2026).