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Constant smartphone use of the parents leads to social abnormalities in the children
In this day and age, teenagers and older people spend a lot of time using their smartphone. Researchers have now found that parents often use their smartphones while having meals, playing games, doing routine activities and talking to their children, which increases the likelihood of child behavior problems.
The researchers at Illinois State University found in their study that the frequent use of smartphones by parents can lead to behavioral problems in their children. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Child Development".
More and more people own a so-called smartphone. Physicians found that when parents are often busy with their smartphone, this increases the risk of developing behavioral problems in their children. (Image: Rido / fotolia, com) What behavioral problems occur when parents often use smartphones?
A recent study suggests that even low levels of seemingly normal levels of technology-related interruptions in dealing with children may cause the affected children to develop various behavioral problems later in life such as hypersensitivity and hyperactivity, the experts explain.
Using smartphones can disrupt the relationship between children and parents
Our findings add to the growing evidence that there is an association between greater digital technology usage and potential dysfunctions in the relationship between parents and their children, says study author Brandon McDaniel of Illinois State University in the US.
The use of technology is changing the responsiveness of parents
When parents frequently use mobile technology, their responsiveness to their children changes, say the experts. In other words, the smartphone leads to a poorer interaction with your children. It is really very difficult to divide the attention between all the interesting information from your smartphone and the social and emotional information of our children and to process both at the same time, explain the scientists further.
Only eleven percent of parents have no issues with technology-related disruptions
For their study, the researchers analyzed the separate surveys of mothers and fathers from 170 different households, each with two parents. Almost half of all parents participating in the study (48 percent) report that they are disturbed three or more times a day by smartphones or other technology when dealing with their children, the physicians report. Seventeen percent of respondents said that they face this problem once a day. 24 percent of the subjects report two interruptions when dealing with their children. Only 11 percent of participants had no issues with technology-related interruptions with their children, the authors add.
Technology-free time can reduce family tensions
Certain times of day or locations should be declared as technology-free by parents, the experts advise. Parents should force themselves to spend time, for example, sharing meals with their children or spending time together after work without the use of smartphones or other technology. This could help to reduce tensions within the family, explain the researchers from the United States.
Introduce limits when using smartphones and other devices
Introducing limitations in the use of digital devices can help parents avoid having their smartphones and other mobile technologies break up with their children, explains author McDaniel. (As)