1. Do sleeping habits mediate the association between time spent on digital devices and school problems in adolescence?
- Author
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Husarova D, Blinka L, Madarasova Geckova A, Sirucek J, van Dijk JP, and Reijneveld SA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Carbonated Beverages statistics & numerical data, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Energy Drinks statistics & numerical data, Female, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Slovakia, Time Factors, Educational Status, Habits, Internet statistics & numerical data, Sleep, Video Games statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: This study examined the associations of Internet and computer screen time with school difficulties and the role of sleep quality and soft and energy drinks consumption., Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study collected in 2014 among Slovak adolescents (aged 11.0-15.9 years, N = 7595, 48.1% boys). We examined the inter-relations between time spent with on digital devices (time spent playing digital games or Internet use), sleeping quality (sleeping shortage, sleeping difficulties), soft/energy drinks consumption and school problems (low academic achievement, disliking school, being pressured by schoolwork and truancy), using structural equation modeling., Results: Results showed that the more time adolescents spent on digital devices during leisure time, the more school problems they had. This association was mediated by a higher consumption of soft or energy drinks and a lower quality of sleeping. The direct effect of time spent on digital devices on school problems and its indirect effect via sleeping quality were relatively small (-0.26 and -0.30, respectively, standardized solution), compared with the indirect effect of time spent on digital devices via soft/energy drinks consumption as well as sleeping quality (0.65, standardized solution)., Conclusions: Time spent on digital devices is associated with school problems, with sleeping and soft/energy drinks consumption playing a substantial role in this association.
- Published
- 2018
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