NORFOLK, Va. — A new study suggests smartphone distractions are hurting the relationship between parents and their teens.
The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, shows teens feel less emotionally connected when parents stare at their phones. These teens experience higher levels of avoidance and anxiety. Even quick glances at a screen, the study finds, can cause negative effects.
Another study from the National Library of Medicine shows frequent smartphone use by parents makes children feel angry and sad. Those kids give up trying to get their parents to pay attention, causing a child's overall well-being to decline.
77 percent of parents with younger children used media during their last family meal.
Licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Sheryl Ziegler said families need to set screen-free rules.
"When they want to talk to you, you want to be present and available, because it's not very often that they might want to talk to you," Ziegler said. "So those look-downs, those 'one more minutes,' those 'uh huh, yeah, yeah,' that really adds up."
Families are advised to ban phones from the dinner table and the bedroom. It is also suggested that parents explain to their kids when they absolutely must use their device, while reassuring them when they'll be done and able to focus on what their child is saying.
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