Maternal Beliefs about Screen Device Use Predict Preschool Children’s Screen Time

There is a heightened concern for young children’s excessive use of screen devices and the need to understand its antecedents. This study aimed to examine mothers’ beliefs about the risks and benefits of using screen devices and how these beliefs, along with mothers’ own entertainment screen time, relate to preschool children’s screen time. The sample included 196 mothers of 2.5–4.5-year-old children in Estonia. Mothers reported their beliefs regarding children’s use of screen devices as well as their own and children’s screen time. The findings showed that mothers considered the use of screen devices most beneficial for children’s knowledge acquisition, math skills, and speaking skills, and most harmful to children’s sleep and physical activity. Higher socioeconomic status predicted mothers’ less positive views about screen devices and mothers’ and children’s lower screen time. The less mothers used screen devices for entertainment at the weekend and the less positive views they had about screen device use, the lower was their children’s screen time on weekdays and weekend days.