Problem Statement
In our current digital era, technology pervades all aspects of our daily lives, significantly transforming family interactions and relationships. Increasing reliance on digital devices by both adults and children has culminated in a suite of unhealthy habits and intra-family challenges. An alarming escalation in mental health issues, notably depression, anxiety, isolation, and low self-esteem, can be traced back to excessive technology usage, particularly in children.
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Furthermore, overexposure to social media and online gaming hampers children's social skills, development, and academic performance. Parents, while striving to regulate screen time, frequently encounter resistance, leading to family conflicts. Evidence suggests that a considerable percentage of adults admit to using their devices excessively, while a worrying proportion of children surpass recommended screen time limits.
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Research links prolonged screen time to heightened risks of mental health problems, sleep disturbances, and various adverse outcomes. Simultaneously, there is an apparent dearth of robust resources and guidance for parents, hindering their ability to manage technology use effectively within their families and instill healthier habits. As such, the necessity to address this widespread issue and create comprehensive, practical solutions has never been more crucial.
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Relevant Statistics and Trends
The pervasive overuse of technology is causing significant strain on family relationships and children's mental health.
According to a 2019 survey by the American Psychological Association, 48% of parents say that managing their child's screen time is a "constant battle," and 58% are concerned about the influence of social media on their child's physical and mental health.
Source: American Psychological Association (2019). APA survey: Generation Z stressed about issues in the news but least likely to vote.
A 2020 study by Common Sense Media found that teens (13-18 years old) spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes on screen media per day (excluding schoolwork), while tweens (8-12 years old) spend an average of 4 hours and 44 minutes.
Source: Common Sense Media (2020). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2019.
A 2017 report by the Pew Research Center revealed that 45% of U.S. teens say they are online "almost constantly," and 44% say they are online several times a day.
Source: Pew Research Center (2018). Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018.
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2019 found that higher levels of screen time at ages 2 and 3 were associated with poorer performance on developmental screening tests at ages 3 and 5, respectively.
Source: Madigan, S., Browne, D., Racine, N., Mori, C., & Tough, S. (2019). Association Between Screen Time and Children's Performance on a Developmental Screening Test. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(3), 244-250. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5056
A 2016 report by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK found that Instagram, followed by Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter, were the most detrimental social media platforms to young people's mental health, exacerbating feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
Source: Royal Society for Public Health (2016). #StatusOfMind: Social media and young people's mental health and wellbeing.
A 2019 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that higher levels of parent-reported screen use were associated with lower microstructural integrity of brain white matter tracts supporting language and literacy skills in preschool-aged children.
Source: Hutton, J.S., Dudley, J., Horowitz-Kraus, T., DeWitt, T., & Holland, S.K. (2019). Associations Between Screen-Based Media Use and Brain White Matter Integrity in Preschool-Aged Children. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1), e193869. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3869
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children aged 2 to 5 years should have no more than 1 hour of screen time per day, while children aged 6 years and older should have consistent limits on screen time and types of media.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics (2016). American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children's Media Use.
A 2017 report by Common Sense Media found that 50% of teens "feel addicted" to their mobile devices, while 59% of parents believe their teens are addicted.
Source: Common Sense Media (2016). Technology Addiction: Concern, Controversy, and Finding Balance.
A study published in Computers in Human Behavior in 2017 showed that the average daily time spent on social media by adolescents was 2 hours, and excessive use was linked to sleep disturbances, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Source: Woods, H.C., & Scott, H. (2016). #Sleepyteens: Social media use in adolescence is associated with poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. Computers in Human Behavior, 51, 41-49. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.060
A 2019 survey by the American Psychological Association found that 45% of adults say they check their phone "often or constantly" during their leisure time, while 30% say they use their phone too much.
Source: American Psychological Association (2019). Stress in America: Stress and Current Events.
According to a 2020 report by the American Psychological Association, 66% of parents report that they feel like their child is attached to their device, and 62% believe their child is spending too much time on their device.
Source: American Psychological Association (2020). Stress in America 2020: Stress in the Time of COVID-19, Volume 1.
A 2020 study published in BMC Public Health found that higher levels of screen time were associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety and depression in adolescents.
Source: Hoare, P., Milton, K., Foster, C., & Allender, S. (2020). The associations between sedentary behaviour and mental health among adolescents: a systematic review. BMC Public Health, 20, 300. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-8401-6
A 2018 study in the journal Pediatric Research found that children who spent more than 2 hours a day on screens had a 7.7-fold increased risk of meeting criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Source: Tamana, S.K., Ezeugwu, V., Chikuma, J., Lefebvre, D.L., Azad, M.B., Moraes, T.J., Subbarao, P., Becker, A.B., Turvey, S.E., Sears, M.R., Dick, B.D., Carson, V., & Mandhane, P.J. (2018). Screen-time is associated with inattention problems in preschoolers: Results from the CHILD birth cohort study. Pediatric Research, 85(6), 820-827. doi:10.1038/s41390-018-0052-6
A 2020 survey conducted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) found that 4 in 10 adults and 6 in 10 teenagers in the UK experience sleep problems related to screen time.
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2020). Sleep problems in adults and children linked to screen time.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found that increased screen time for children aged 2 to 5 was associated with poorer psychosocial well-being, including poorer emotional regulation and family functioning.
Source: Radesky, J.S., Weeks, H.M., Ball, R., Schaller, A., Yeo, S., Durnez, J., Tamayo-Rios, M., & Horton, A. (2018). Young Children’s Use of Smartphones and Tablets. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 39(7), 508-515. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000588
"Mindful Parenting in the Digital Age"
