Recreational screen time behaviour among ambulatory children and adolescents diagnosed with cerebral palsy: A cross‐sectional analysis

Aim To describe the recreational screen time behaviour of 8–16‐year‐olds diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) and explore associations between health‐related quality of life, sleep duration and physical activity behaviour versus screen time. Methods This cross‐sectional study used proxy‐reported questionnaire data of 381 ambulatory (with or without assistance) 8–16‐year‐olds diagnosed with CP corresponding to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I–III. Descriptive statistics were used to report age, sex and the GMFCS level. The potential associations of health‐related quality of life, physical activity behaviour and sleep duration (dependent variables) versus screen time (independent variable) were determined using multiple linear regression. Health‐related quality of life was evaluated using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, including seven dimensions: Daily Activities; School Activities; Movement and Balance; Pain and Hurt; Fatigue; Eating Activities; and Speech and Communication. Results The participants spent a median screen time of 3.9 h daily. The boys spent a longer screen time during weekends than the girls (p = 0.003). Boys spent more time on games (p