Prebedtime Screen Use in Adolescents: A Survey of Habits, Barriers, and Perceived Acceptability of Potential Interventions

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate (1) access to screens and screen use in the hour before bedtime and in bed; (2) attitudes and barriers to reducing screen time, and (3) perceptions of potential interventions to reduce screen time to benefit the sleep of New Zealand adolescents. Methods: Adolescents (aged 13–17 years, n = 4,811) living in New Zealand were recruited online between November 2015 and March 2016 with a direct link to complete a questionnaire about screen use in the hour before bedtime (including the types of screens used and activities) and screen use when in bed. Sleep patterns and quality were measured, and attitudes to reducing screen time using potential interventions were explored. Results: The most common prebedtime screen activities reported on most nights were social media (88%) and texting/instant messaging (77%). The majority of participants reported they used phones in bed (86%) and “agreed” they spent too much time on screens (70%), a perception that increased with age (p = .008). Being unable to communicate with friends was the most common barrier to reducing screen time (67% agreed). Conclusions: Screen use in adolescents is complex; however, there is scope to improve sleep by reducing the impact of in-bed use of portable devices and addressing barriers to reduce screen time in adolescents.