Children and adolescents are spending an alarming amount of time engaging in screen time (ST) activities on mobile devices, computers, televisions (TV), and video games; activities include, but are not limited to, watching shows or movies, playing video games, searching the internet, texting, or using social media. This excessive ST is contributing to a vast array of serious childhood complications and health concerns, of which are rarely discussed, acknowledged, or remedied.

The proposed implementation of a structured 3-day elementary school based screen time reduction program (STRP) that would target not only the children and adolescents, but their parents and/or caregivers as well, is necessary to protect the physical and mental well-being of these youth. Such a program would ideally provide the education and support needed to motivate the target audiences to modify and/or restrict their, or their children’s, allotted ST at home. Multiple prior studies have shown that interventions targeting ST are effective and worthwhile.

To explore the relationship between the proposed intervention and time spent watching TV, on the computer/phone, or playing video games, this paper examines the question: In children and adolescents, to include parents and/or caregivers (P), how does education over the effects of excessive ST and implementation of a STRP (I) compared to no education or intervention (C) affect daily ST (O) within 6 months of implementation (T)?

Date of publication

Spring 4-28-2020

Document Type

MSN Capstone Project



Persistent identifier



Master of Science in Nursing- Family Nurse Practitioner