Problematic use of electronic devices and screen addiction in preschool children: a parent coaching program for prevention and treatment

Excessive and early exposure to electronic screen devices has been consistently associated with developmental, behavioral, and emotional problems in children, including the emergence of screen addiction. Preventive interventions involving parents are crucial, as screen habits in preschoolers are established by parents, tend to persist over time, and yield long-term negative consequences. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a parent coaching intervention in reducing children’s daily exposure to electronic devices and screen addiction. One or both parents of 192 children (mean age: 3.1 years, range: 0.3–6.0) attended a 90-minute session, describing the consequences of excessive screen time in children, the behavioral hallmarks and neurobiological mechanisms of screen addiction, and practical strategies to overcome dependence, if present. The parents of 75 (39.1%) children also attended a second session one month later, to share their experience. The ScreenQ questionnaire was filled by parents before both sessions. At baseline, 148 (77.1%) preschoolers had already been exposed to portable electronic devices, with 71 (37.0%) starting before 18 months of age. Notably, 30/75 (40.0%) exhibited at least one indicator of problematic screen use, specifically irritability upon device withdrawal, and 7/75 (9.3%) met all criteria for screen addiction. After the intervention, ScreenQ total scores significantly decreased in the Access and Interactivity domains, reflecting reduced daily screen time and unsupervised use, with increased parental engagement during media exposure. Our findings highlight the need to address emerging digital dependence early in preschoolers and support the efficacy of parent-directed interventions to contrast excessive screen exposure in young children.