Parents who spend a lot of time in front of screens not only neglect their families, but also increasingly resort to negative parenting practices such as nagging or yelling. This is the conclusion of a multinational study by the University of Waterloo , which analyzes the connection between parents' digital media consumption, their parenting methods and the mental well-being of their offspring.
Technology dominates everything
“If we want to understand families in a society full of technology, every family member matters. Parents also turn to these media for a variety of reasons. This behavior can dramatically impact their children’s lives.”
Jasmine Zhang, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Waterloo
It's not always just children and young people who spend too much time on digital devices, explains the scientist.
For her study, she surveyed 549 participants from different countries, all of whom had at least two children between the ages of five and 18. Among other things, they had to specify exactly how much time they spend with digital media, how they assess their own and their offspring's mental health and what parenting practices they use.
The results show that parents with higher levels of stress relax more often in front of the screen and often neglect parenting. “ They then often withdraw, are not present for their children and use negative parenting practices ,” summarizes Zhang.
Not just negative effects
However, the researcher also emphasizes that not all media consumption can be negatively linked to the educational methods used. An exception, for example, is the possibility of establishing and maintaining social contacts via digital channels. In such a case, positive effects such as a reduction in anxiety levels and a lower susceptibility to depression could sometimes occur, the study says.
“ The media landscape available to a family is becoming ever larger ,” says Dillon Browne, co-author of the study at the University of Waterloo. “ As this trend continues to progress, it is even more important that we are aware of the impact this behavior can have on our own well-being and that of our children. “
Article image: Unsplash
Source: PT
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