Television, video game and social media use among children with ASD and typically developing siblings.

Whitehouse et al. (2013) asked parents to log how much time their kids spent on TV, video games, and social media. They compared children with autism to their typically developing brothers and sisters living in the same house.

The survey kept the home environment the same for both groups. This design lets us see if screen habits differ because of autism, not because of different house rules.

Kids with autism spent 62 % more time on TV and games than all non-screen activities combined. They also used social media less than their typical siblings.

The gap stayed large even when parents shared the same rules about screen time.

Antaki et al. (2008) first showed heavy screen use in autism, but had no comparison group. Whitehouse et al. (2013) added sibling controls and proved the gap is real, not just a parenting style issue.

Must et al. (2014) later measured kids with wearable trackers and found the same one-hour weekday difference. Their motion data backs up the parent reports from O et al.

van Timmeren et al. (2016) widened the age range and added "compulsive use" questions. They showed the extra hours noted by O et al. can turn into hard-to-stop habits that parents say disrupt daily life.

You now know screen time is likely higher in clients with autism than in their own brothers or sisters. Use this fact when you write behavior plans. Build replacement activities that compete with TV and games, not just generic "free time." Track screen hours like you track any other target behavior, and teach parents to set clear, autism-specific limits before compulsive patterns start.