This study aimed to determine the association of screen time and behavioral difficulties among Grade six students from the top 20 most populated public and private schools within the 15 kilometer radius of Zamboanga City. The study followed a cross-sectional analytical design using the Screen Time Assessment Tool and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A total of 904 respondents participated in the study and were chosen through a multistage purposive and stratified systematic random sampling. Results revealed that among the respondents, 55% had prolonged screen time (>2hrs/day) which is slightly below the national prevalence of 58%. Eighty percent (80%) of these respondents use more than one gadget at a time, of which 72% reported to have parental supervision and the most frequently used gadget is the smartphone, wherein 82% of the respondents use it for social media. On the other hand, the prevalence of behavioral difficulties is 26% which is above the national prevalence of 10-20%. Of these respondents noted to have behavioral difficulties, majority had conduct problems with 137cases, of which 67% had prolonged screen time. Moreover, the prevalence of respondents having prolonged screen time and behavioral difficulties is 17% of the total population with a prevalence odds ratio of 1.8 (95% CI 1.32-2.46). This denotes that respondents having behavioral difficulties are 1.8x more likely to have prolonged screen time as compared to those with no behavioral difficulties. Based on these results, it can then be concluded in this study that among Grade 6 elementary students in Zamboanga City, there is a positive association between behavioral difficulties and prolonged screen time.

Keyword: Screen time and behavioral difficulties Grade 6 students