The feasibility of passively tracking children's TV viewing and mobile device use in naturalistic settings

Authors: O'CONNOR, TERESIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); GARZA, TATYANA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); ALAM, UZAIR - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); KUMAR VADATHYA, ANIL - Rice University; MORENO, JENNETTE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BELTRAN, ALICIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); HAIDAR, SAMAH - Rice University; HAIDAR, NIMAH - Rice University; HUGHES, SHERYL - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); Thompson, Deborah; MUSAAD, SALMA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BARANOWSKI, TOM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MENDOZA, JASON - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; YOUNG, JOSEPH - Rice University; SANO, AKANE - Rice University; VEERARAGHAVAN, ASHOK - Rice University

Submitted to: Behaviour & Information Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/13/2025
Publication Date: 7/14/2025
Citation: O'Connor, T.M., Garza, T., Alam, U., Kumar Vadathya, A., Moreno, J.P., Beltran, A., Haidar, S., Haidar, N., Hughes, S.O., Thompson, D.J., Musaad, S.M., Baranowski, T., Mendoza, J.A., Young, J., Sano, A., Veeraraghavan, A. 2025. The feasibility of passively tracking children's TV viewing and mobile device use in naturalistic settings. Behaviour & Information Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2523452.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2523452

Interpretive Summary: Researchers want to understand how much time children spend using screens like TVs and mobile devices. However, it's hard to get accurate information because most studies rely on parents to report their child's screen time, which can be time-consuming and not always reliable. This study tested a new way to measure children’s screen use without relying on parents to track it manually. The researchers used a system called FLASH-TV to automatically monitor TV use in the home and paired it with tools to track mobile device use. They tested this setup with 20 families over three days. Most of the time, the system successfully collected data, and many parents said the reports seemed accurate. Parents also said the automatic system was much easier than filling out daily screen time diaries. The study showed that passive (automatic) tracking of children’s screen use is both possible and practical. It reduces the burden on parents and may provide more accurate data. This is a step forward in helping researchers better understand how children use technology in real life. However, the study also noted that families may need reassurance about privacy, and future research might need to include measurement of other devices like computers to get a full picture of older children's screen media use.

Technical Abstract: Research on children's technology and digital media (TDM) is hampered by a lack of robust approaches for assessing TDM use. This study assessed the feasibility of passively measuring children's TV screen viewing and mobile devices use in a naturalistic setting. In the three-day feasibility study, FLASH-TV was set up on one to two TVs the child (5–12 year olds) typically used in the home (n=20). Children's mobile device use was assessed with either the Chronicle App or Screen Time screenshots. Parents completed three TDM diaries. An exit interview with the parent explored their perceptions of the assessments and the child's TDM use report. Complete data were obtained on 86.7% of days for passive assessment of TV viewing and 84.3% of days for mobile device use. Fifteen parents reviewed complete TDM use reports for their child, with most stating the reports appeared correct for TV (80%) and mobile device (80%). Almost two-thirds had no concerns about having the FLASH-TV installed in their home, while some reported issues about feeling observed. Parents described high burden and frustration with the TDM diaries. Data provided preliminary evidence that passive measurement is feasible for assessing children's TV and mobile device use, with reduced burden for parents.