Parents' Obsession With Smartphones Can Cause Kids' to Have Behavioral Problems
A new paper published in the journal Child Development shows that parents' obsession with their smartphones may cause behavioral issues in their children. Even in low amounts, interruptions to parent–child time caused by digital technology could be behind some of their kids' outbursts.
The small study by the University of Michigan and Illinois State University surveyed 170 two-parent households across the U.S. The study looked at how often a parent noted an interruption that occurred due to technology and then analyzed the child's corresponding behavior for the past two months.
Data compiled by the team of pediatrics professors found that nearly half (48 percent) of parents reported that their devices interrupted them at least three times a day, 24 percent shared it happened twice and 17 percent said it occurred once. Only 11 percent claimed no technology-related interruptions occurred.
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How much time do fathers and mothers spend on their electronic gadgets? A 2016 Common Sense Media Report revealed that parents with children ages eight to 18 consume screen media for more than nine hours a day. Aside from work, screen media activities also include watching TV, social networking and playing video games.
Senior author Jenny Redesky said even a rare interruption while interacting with the kids to scroll down through Facebook can induce unwanted behavior from them, like oversensitivity, hot tempers, hyperactivity, acting out, crying and whining. On the other hand, parents who use less technology are able to connect with their family better and their kids tend to be more responsive.
The behavior expert and pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital advises parents to reserve certain times of the day for being absolutely free from technology in favor of "family time" by engaging with their kids in mealtime or playtime right after work.
"This is just the day and age that we live in. These devices are designed to absorb our attention," said Lead author Brandon T. McDaniel, adding that distractions are now part of life. But he advised parents to minimize the distractions, considering that their children won't be kids forever.
