Digital screen exposure and sleep disorders in children with epilepsy: The impact of sociodemographic, clinical, and individual factors

📖 Top 30% JournalJan 27, 2026Epilepsy & behavior : E&B

How screen time relates to sleep problems in children with epilepsy, considering social, medical, and personal factors

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

A significant positive correlation (rho = 0.23; p = 0.008) exists between average daily digital screen exposure and total sleep disturbance scores in children with epilepsy.

Increased digital screen exposure is associated with a higher severity of sleep disorders in children with epilepsy.
The strongest correlations were found in the subdomains related to difficulties in falling or staying asleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and sleep-related breathing disorders.
Children of mothers with a university education had lower digital screen exposure compared to those whose mothers had lower education levels.
No overall difference in digital screen exposure was found based on children's chronotype, but a stronger correlation with sleep-related breathing disorders was noted in children with an evening chronotype.

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between daily digital screen exposure and sleep disorders in children with epilepsy (CWE), focusing on different sleep subdomains. In addition, the possible regulatory role of socio-demographic factors and individual chronotype characteristics affecting digital screen exposure was also evaluated.

METHODS: This cross-sectional analytical study included 132 CWE and their mothers. Data were collected using sociodemographic/clinical forms, the Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children (SDSC), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Children's Chronotype Questionnaire (CCQ). Digital screen exposure was assessed using a parent-reported form; daily exposure was calculated by taking the weighted average of weekday and weekend usage times.

RESULTS: The study found a significant, positive correlation between average digital screen exposure time and total SDSC score (rho = 0.23; p = 0.008). This association was particularly evident in the subdomains of disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES), and sleep--related breathing disorders (SDB). Socio-demographically, maternal education level significantly affected digital screen exposure; children of mothers with a university degree had statistically lower digital screen exposure (p = 0.001). While total digital screen exposure did not differ by chronotype, a stronger positive correlation between digital screen exposure and the SDB subdomain was observed in children with an evening chronotype (rho = 0.363; p = 0.045).

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that increased digital screen exposure significantly, but only weakly/moderately, associated with increased the severity of sleep disorders in CWE. Maternal education level and individual chronotype differences play a critical role in managing this negative relationship and identifying at-risk groups. Clinicians should develop personalized intervention programs regarding digital screen exposure, particularly for families with children who have low educational levels and are biologically at risk (evening chronotype).

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