How Parents Shape Adolescent Screen Time: Findings from Denmark and Ireland

Background: Parents may influence adolescents’ screen time both through their own digital behaviours and through explicit screen time rules. However, evidence remains limited as to the relative strength of these mechanisms and whether they operate similarly across family and national contexts. This paper fills this gap and compares empirical results from two European contexts - Ireland and Denmark. Methods: The study draws on two closely aligned datasets collected during similar time periods among comparably aged adolescents. For Denmark, data collected in 2023 from children aged 8–15 years and their parents is analysed, combining self-reported social media use with objective, screenshot-verified usage data (n = 1,025 parent–child pairs; n = 352 with objective data). For Ireland, cohort data collected in 2021/22 is examined, in which parents report both their own and their child’s general screen use and digital rule-setting practices at age 13 (n = 4,424). In both countries, screen time is captured using harmonised ordinal categories. Associations are estimated between adolescent screen time, parental screen habits, rule-setting behaviours, and demographic covariates.Results: In both countries, maternal and paternal screen habits were associated with adolescent screen time, although maternal behaviour had a stronger predictive value in Ireland. Across contexts, the presence of parental rules was modestly linked to lower screen use, but screen time modelling appeared to be more influential. The observed associations between maternal and children’s self-reported social media usage were consistent with those obtained using objective screen time data.Conclusion: Across two distinct national contexts, parental screen habits emerged as a consistent and robust predictor of adolescent digital engagement, frequently demonstrating a stronger association than explicit rule-setting. Although parental restrictions were modestly linked to reduced screen use, behavioural modelling appears to be the primary pathway through which parents influence their children's digital habits. These findings provide empirical support for theoretical frameworks regarding the role of observed parental practice and direct regulation. Consequently, policy interventions and clinical guidance could focus on promoting healthier digital modelling within the family unit to more effectively shape adolescent screen behaviours.