China's New Restrictive Policy: Exploring the Parental Perspectives on Children’s Screen Time

Recently, China has emerged as the first country to implement limits on children’s screen time. However, there is a sparsity of literature on how Chinese parents view these regulatory measures to reduce sedentary behaviours. Linked with qualitative research methods and an inductive perspective, it is one of the first studies that has recorded the Chinese parental perspectives on the recent regulatory measures vis-à-vis children’s screen time. The research involved 15 parents (12 mothers and 3 fathers of 30-35 years old) of diverse backgrounds who expressed polarized viewpoints on the use of regulatory measures to curb screen time. In addition, the study highlights the dual role of screen time in modern parenting, both as a source of developmental challenges and as a tool for sharing parenting responsibilities at home. Recommendations include adjusting policies to reflect parents' needs, incorporating family-centred strategies, and providing educational resources to optimize children's screen time and promote cognitive, emotional, and social development.