TECH Parenting to Promote Effective Media Management

As media and technology proliferate in the lives of US children, parents are confronted with the ever-growing task of home media management. Accumulating evidence reveals that youth media exposure to health risk behaviors (HRBs) (eg, risky sexual behavior, substance use) during the preteen years is associated with increased risk for subsequent engagement in HRBs,^1,2 and greater intensity of exposure leads to greater youth risk. Whereas parents remain a strong influence on youth behavior and guidelines advocate for parental media restriction and monitoring, the definition of specific media parenting behaviors that impact child outcomes is needed. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has offered an evidence-informed summary of recommended parenting practices within the media environment.³ However, parents generally express a desire for more information about effective youth media management and are relatively unaware of the AAP’s media recommendations.⁴ To support AAP guidelines, a review of the...