A new study shows that more than half of teenagers admit they are addicted to their phones.
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The poll, conducted by nonprofit group Common Sense Media and published Tuesday, surveyed more than 1,200 teens and their parents in the hope of highlighting the impact media and technology can have on parent-child relationships.
The survey by the non-profit organization was released along with a research brief that argues the “always-on media” environment is one that needs the country’s attention particularly when it comes to children. But it also provides an important way for teenagers to connect with peers, a benefit that should not be discounted. This has become a constant cause of worry to parents who fear that their children might be addicted to these devices already. Only 48 percent of parents felt the need to respond immediately and 69 percent said they needed to check their devices hourly. Some 41% of teens say that mobile devices cause inattentiveness in their parents. “They’re like, it seems like my kid won’t stop playing games at home”, said mom and District Technology Teachers Kathy Parker-Jones.
“Mobile devices are fundamentally changing how families go about day-to-day life, be it homework, driving or having dinner together”, said James Steyer, CEO of Common Sense, of the new report.
Common Sense Media has issued a report about the smartphone addiction among teenagers, which has indicated that half of them “feel addicted” to mobile devices.
The report and study were a follow-up to a Common Sense study last November that found that teens use an average of nine hours of media per day. She said it’s all about a balanced digital diet at school and home. However for some parents technology helps them keep track of their kids. More than half, 56%, of parents admit checking their mobile devices while driving and almost the same number, 52%, very often or occasionally try to cut down the amount of time they spend on devices.
Janis Elspas, founder of Mommy Blog Expert, believes the rules and boundaries parents set for their children when they get their first cell phone or smartphone might be helpful in heading off any addictions later on. “We are at the movies and you are still on your phone?'” Benitez told CNN.
Benitez, the public relations executive who finds it hard to stay off her phone, said she has taken steps to curb her own digital addiction, such as setting aside the phone during mealtime. She says that “technological addiction can happen to anyone”.
“It is a good thing that parents and educators are focused on kids’ social and emotional learning and asking the right questions – many of which we don’t know the answers to yet”, she said.
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“I don’t believe that”, he said. Many mothers and father interviewed admitted that they encounter many difficulties when trying to regulate their own phone usage, with 27% of the adults identifying as addicts.
