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The relationship between behavioral problems and screen time in children during COVID-19 school closures in Japan Cover

The relationship between behavioral problems and screen time in children during COVID-19 school closures in Japan

By: Chika Ueno and  Shuichi Yamamoto  
Open Access
|Jan 2022

Figures & Tables

Figure 1
Figure 1

Characteristics of children with behavioral problems during school closure

Children with behavioral problems during school closure (n = 482)Children without behavioral problems during school closure (n= 477)With problems vs. Without problems p
GenderBoysGirlsBoysGirls
253/482229/482231/477246/4770.220 †
p = 1.00 *† p = 1.00 *†
183 94
285 79
Grade385 79 0.675 †
479 65
566 76
684 84
Mean duration of watching
3.3 h (1.9) 2.8 h (1.8) < .001 ǂ
TV/video (SD)
Mean duration of playing2.1 h (1.9) 1.4 h (1.6) < .001 ǂ
video games (SD)
Total screen time (SD)5.4 h (2.7) 4.2 h (2.5) < .001 ǂ
Mean sleep duration (SD)9.4 h (0.9) 9.4 h (0.8) 0.653 ǂ
Mean wakeup time (SD)7:28 (1.0 h) 7:21 (1.0 h) 0.109 ǂ
Mean bedtime (SD)21:54 (1.2 h) 21:54 (0.9 h) 0.357 ǂ
Bodyweight gain during school closure105/482 56/477 < .001 †

Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of exhibiting behavioral problems during school closure

Crude Adjusted
VariableOR95% CIP valueOR95% CIP value
Time spent watching TV/video1.11.07 - 1.22< .0011.21.07-1.24< .001
Time spent playing video games1.31.2 - 1.4< .0011.31.18 - 1.41< .001
Total screen time1.21.14 - 1.28< .0011.21.14 - 1.28< .001
Bodyweight gain2.11.47 - 2.98< .0012.01.43 - 2.92< .001

Frequency of children with behavioral problems during school closures and after schools reopened

During school closuresAfter schools reopenedDuring vs. after
n (%)n (%)p
Children with at least one of the following problems:482 (50.3)364 (38.0)< .001
Irritability186 (19.3)152 (15.8)< .001
Inability to stop playing video games260 (27.1)158 (16.5)< .001
Frequent fights with siblings265 (27.6)189 (19.7)< .001
Excessive dependence on parents73 (7.6)72 (7.5).93
Refusal to sleep independently14 (1.5)18 (2.5)< .001

Characteristics of children with experiencing bodyweight gain

Children with bodyweight gain (n = 161)Children no bodyweight gain (n= 798)With bodyweight gain vs. no bodyweight gain p
BoysGirlsBoysGirls
Gender79/16182/161405/798393/7980.730 †
p = 1.00 *† p = 1.00 *†
183 94
285 79
Grade385 79 0.675†
479 65
566 76
684 84
Mean duration of watching TV/video (SD)3.6 h (2.3) 2.9 h (1.8) < .001 ǂ
Mean duration of playing video games (SD)1.9 h (2.0) 1.7 h (1.7) < .674 ǂ
Total screen time (SD)5.2 h (3.0) 4.7 h (2.5) < .001 ǂ
Mean sleep duration (SD)9.5 h (0.8) 9.4 h (0.8) 0.234 ǂ
Mean wakeup time (SD)7:28 (1.0 h) 7:21 (1.0 h) 0.402 ǂ
Mean bedtime (SD)21:54 (0.9 h) 21:54 (0.9 h) 0.490 ǂ
Bodyweight gain during school closure105/161 377/798 < .001 †

Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals of children experiencing body weight gain during school closure

Crude Adjusted
VariableOR95% CIP valueOR95% CIP value
Time spent watching TV/video1.21.10 - 1.30< .0011.21.08 - 1.28< .001
Time spent playing video games1.10.96 - 1.150.3171.00.91 - 1.120.845
Total screen time1.11.05 - 1.19< .0011.11.02 - 1.16< .001
Behavioral problems2.11.47 - 2.98< .0012.01.43 - 2.92< .001
Language: English
Page range: 1 - 8
Published on: Jan 12, 2022
Published by: Psychiatric Research Unit
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2022 Chika Ueno, Shuichi Yamamoto, published by Psychiatric Research Unit
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.