Tomorrow’s National Security: A Study on the Relationship between Screen Time and the Health Motivation of College-Aged Youth at a Military Institution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between screen time durations and the health motivation of youths. Among the youth population are the current and future members of the United States military. Therefore, college-aged youth participants were recruited and surveyed at a military institution. Results found weak to no relationship between the independent variable, self-reports of weekly screen time durations, and the dependent variable, health motivation. Findings suggested regimental requirements, which accompany military institutional enrollment, serve as a health protectant. However, screen time self-reports, which excluded screen use for academic pursuits, equated to averages, which surpass recommended limits. On average, screen time equated to approximately five hours per day. Therefore, especially in a Coronavirus (COVID-19) era, future research explorations should seek to understand relationships between screen time and health motivation for individuals, particularly those who do not attend military colleges and universities.