Associations between Parental Social Support and Early Childhood Screen-time in US Children

Excessive childhood screen-time is associated with adverse lifestyle and mental health outcomes. Studies suggest that social support, perceived assistance from others, can empower parents to manage screen-time; however, it is unclear which sources of support are relevant and whether income influences these associations. We examined whether individual, family, and neighborhood social support are associated with optimal early childhood screen-time. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of children aged 0–5 years from the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health. Using American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, we defined optimal screen-time as one hour or less daily. Support was self-reported by parents and included: 1) individual (day-to-day help), 2) family (family cohesion), 3) neighborhood (community support), and 4) cumulative (count 0–3 of all sources). We performed regression analyses, adjusting for race, ethnicity, maternal age, education, and income, with stratification by income. Among 19,741 children (51% male, 65% Non-Hispanic White, 55.9% low-income), 29.9% had optimal screen-time. Individual (OR 1.34, 95% CI, 1.11–1.62), family (OR 1.37, 95% CI, 1.10–1.71), neighborhood (OR 1.16, 95% CI, 1.07–1.38), and cumulative support (OR 2.24, 95% CI, 1.37–3.67) were associated with optimal screen-time. Individual support was associated with optimal screen-time in higher-income families (OR 2.12, 95% CI, 1.61–2.79). Family (OR 1.39, 95% CI, 1.05–1.88), neighborhood (OR 1.45, 95% CI, 1.17–1.66), and cumulative support (OR 2.46, 95% CI, 1.39–4.33) were associated with optimal screen-time in low-income families. All sources of social support are associated with optimal screen-time, but associations vary by income. Strengthening support may promote healthier screen-time, particularly in low-income families.