Screen use and teen mental health: how parents can play a crucial role

One of the biggest predictors of how much time adolescents spend on screens and whether that use is problematic is how much their own parents use screens, according to a recent study published in Pediatric research.

The study examined three years of survey data from more than 10,000 adolescents in the United States to assess the prevalence of media parenting practices and identify their association with adolescent screen time, social media use, and cell phone use. Researchers in the study also examined whether screen use was problematic, meaning they couldn’t fully implement the screen use despite wanting to, or if it interfered with the adolescent’s schoolwork.

Social media and mental health have recently become a popular source of discussion in American culture. In particular, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned the American public about an epidemic of loneliness and isolation last year.

In a recent interview with ABC NewsWhen asked about factors that contribute to loneliness, Dr. Murthy said, “There are a number of factors that contribute to our loneliness. Nowadays we get together less often for dinners with friends or neighbors. We are also spending more and more time on social media and online interactions, which can be helpful in some ways, but can also take time away from the face-to-face interactions we used to have.”

That is known loneliness may be accompanied by feelings of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. Social media in particular can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and anxiety when, for example, adolescents are exposed to unrealistic portrayals of their peers’ lives.

Until now, much of the focus on social media and mental health has been on adolescent and teen use, with virtually no emphasis on parental use. The aforementioned study, published in Pediatric Research, sheds light on parents’ screen use and its effect on a child’s problematic screen use. Specifically, the study found that the more parents use screens when they are around their children, the greater the association with problematic screen use by their children.

The study results underscore the importance of modeling appropriate parental behavior for children. As a society, we are often quick to blame children and adolescents for frequent screen use, whether it’s social media, video chatting, texting, or surfing the internet. As adults and parents, before we point fingers, we should also examine our own screen use and make sure we’re setting a good example for our children, who may be emulating our own potentially destructive behavior.

If Dr Murthy says, “One in two adults in America lives with measurable levels of loneliness, but the rates are even higher among young people.”

Loneliness and feelings of isolation are a reality for the majority of the American population. Parents can play a key role in mitigating the effects of this epidemic, mainly by setting an example for their children and limiting their own screen time to be more present in their personal interactions. In addition to limiting screen time, parents can set boundaries to ensure that certain times, like mealtimes and bedtime, are reserved for in-person interactions. Promoting open communication and having conversations with children about the digital content they are exposed to can create a safe and non-judgmental space to share concerns about online issues. Finally, parents should be proactive in looking for signs of mental health problems in their children, which may manifest as changes in mood, behavior, or academic performance at school.

There is so much that both parents and children can do to promote and increase mental health. It will take a village to fight this epidemic of loneliness.