An increasing number of parents have expressed concern over their children’s digital habits as their kids return to the classroom, findings from a new poll show.
Two-thirds of parents surveyed say overall screen time, followed by social media overuse and internet safety, are major concerns, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
“Children are using digital devices and social media at younger ages, and parents may struggle with how to appropriately monitor use to prevent negative impacts on safety, self-esteem, social connections, and habits that may interfere with sleep and other areas of health,” said Mott Poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Dr. Susan Woolford in a news release.
Harmful Effects of Social Media
Findings from the poll, based on a nationally representative sample of over 2,000 respondents, also reveal that 50 percent of parents are concerned about mental health problems such as depression, suicide, stress, and anxiety associated with excessive screen use.
Social media platforms include Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook.
Findings from a 2019 study published in JAMA Psychiatry showed preteens and teens who spent more than three hours per day on social media had a 60 percent higher risk of developing mental health problems. Separate research shows unhealthy scrolling is a significant source of distraction that can lead to addiction, which then adversely impacts academic performance and fuels unrealistic expectations when kids compare themselves to popular, self-declared influencers.
According to an official blog by the National Eating Disorder Association, social media platforms are linked to a fixation on appearance, pressure to be muscular, and reduced body satisfaction. Social media also sets students up for cyberbullying. Fifty-nine percent of teens in the United States say they’ve been bullied or harassed online.
What to Do
The back-to-school months are an excellent time to reinstate expectations and set limits that may have been lifted during the summer months.
“It is typical for parents to relax those rules during the summer, but once school starts, parents and children need to have a conversation about limits on social media and screen time by setting up agreed-upon rules,” Dr. Michelle Escovedo, an adolescent medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s in Los Angeles, said in a recent virtual community conversation about the back-to-school season.
The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends the following strategies to keep kids safe:
By Mary Gillis
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