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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
MCHbest. Physical Activity.

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Strategy. Screen Time Interventions

Approach. Provide educational support and encouragement to children to decrease time on TV and other stationary screen media

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Overview. Interventions that encourage a reduction in screen time for children and adolescents as well as teaching self-management to help behavior change through monitoring, classroom education, and family or peer support may be effective in decreasing sedentary behavior.[1] Screen time interventions are often home-based and can include physical activity or healthy diet components.

Evidence. Emerging Evidence. Strategies based on emerging evidence show promise but have not undergone extensive testing. While these approaches demonstrate potential, their effectiveness remains unconfirmed. Prioritize rigorous monitoring to ensure they achieve desired outcomes for all MCH populations.

Access the peer-reviewed evidence through the MCH Digital Library or related evidence source.

Potential Data Sources. Data to support this strategy can be accessed through:

  • Engagement records
  • Pre/post intervention surveys
  • Parent/caregiver self-efficacy and knowledge questionnaires

Outcome Components. This strategy has shown to have impact on the following outcomes (Read more about these categories):

  • Health and Health Behaviors/Behavior Change. This strategy improves individuals' physical and mental health and their adoption of healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy eating, physical activity).

Detailed Outcomes. For specific outcomes related to each study supporting this strategy, access the peer-reviewed evidence and read the Intervention Results for each study.

Intervention Type. Health Teaching (Education and Promotion) (Read more about intervention types and levels as defined by the Public Health Intervention Wheel).

Intervention Level. Community-Focused

Examples from the Field. Access descriptions of ESMs that use this strategy or aligned components.

Sample ESMs. Here are sample ESMs to use as models for your own measures using the RBA framework (see The Role of Title V in Adapting Strategies).

Quadrant 1:
Measuring Quantity of Effort (“What/how much did we do?”)

  • Number of evidence-based screen time reduction curricula implemented in schools and community centers. (Assesses adherence to best practices)
  • Number of partnerships formed with local pediatricians to promote screen time reduction strategies. (Evaluates community engagement)

Quadrant 2:
Measuring Quality of Effort (“How well did we do it?”)

  • Percent of screen time reduction programs that incorporate active learning and skill-building components. (Measures adherence to quality standards)
  • Percent of intervention materials that use age-appropriate and sensitive messaging. (Assesses usability and relevance of information)

Quadrant 3:
Measuring Quantity of Effect (“Is anyone better off?”)

  • Number of schools integrating screen time reduction strategies into existing health curricula. (Shows integration into school operations)
  • Number of community-wide campaigns launched to promote alternative activities to screen time. (Assesses linkages with broader health goals)
  • Number of hours of screen time reduced per week among intervention participants. (Quantifies behavior change)
  • Number of new physical activity programs initiated as alternatives to screen time. (Measures creation of healthy alternatives)

Quadrant 4:
Measuring Quality of Effect (“How are they better off?”)

  • Percent of screen time reduction resources allocated to communities with high rates of childhood obesity. (Measures strategic deployment of resources)
  • Percent of intervention strategies tailored to address challenges faced by different communities. (Assesses focused program design)
  • Percent decrease in daily screen time among children, disaggregated by key characteristics. (Directly evaluates behavior change across subgroups)
  • Percent increase in children meeting recommended physical activity guidelines. (Assesses impact on overall health behaviors)

Note. When looking at your ESMs, SPMs, or other strategies:

  1. Move from measuring quantity to quality.
  2. Move from measuring effort to effect.
  3. Quadrant 1 strategies should be used sparingly, when no other data exists.
  4. The most effective measurement combines strategies in all levels, with most in Quadrants 2 and 4.

Learn More. Read how to create stronger ESMs and how to measure ESM impact more meaningfully through Results-Based Accountability.

References

1 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (2017, March 8). Screen Time Interventions for Children. https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health/strategies/screen-time-interventions-for-children.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.