Screen time: an exploratory study of the experience of pupils in the final year of primary school using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)

Since the middle of the 20th century digital technological developments have transformed human behaviour on an individual, group and societal level. The result of which is that screen time is now an integral part of people’s lives, including that of children. Given this, this research study aims to further extend the current research on the phenomenon of screen time by exploring the views and lived experiences of children. The concept of screen time is broad, therefore, for the purposes of this research screen time is defined as the use of a handheld smart electronic device that is generally connected to other devices or networks via different wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G that can operate interactively allowing users to both find and share information. In this research study five participants in the final year of primary school shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews. Transcripts from the interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) in order to generate themes. Four superordinate themes emerged across all participants. These were: • Habitual • Sense of self • Impact on wellbeing and anxiety • Social relationships Possible implications of the study are discussed including further research and implications for educational psychology practice in supporting schools and families in relation to the phenomena of screen time.