Study Shows Excessive Social Media and Gadget Use Now Major Worries for Parents (Picture Credit – Freepik)
As kids head back to school, parents are increasingly worried about two key issues: the effects of social media and internet usage on their children’s lives. The University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health reveals that a majority of parents now view mental health as the primary health concern for their kids and teens. This year, mental health and technology usage have become the most pressing health-related concerns for American children, overtaking childhood obesity, which was considered the top issue by parents ten years ago.
Susan Woolford points out that children are engaging with digital devices and social media from increasingly younger ages, presenting challenges for parents in monitoring usage to safeguard against potential negative effects on safety, self-esteem, social interactions, and habits that could disrupt sleep and other health aspects. Screen time emerged as a heightened concern for parents during the pandemic, as indicated by previous reports. Woolford advises parents to frequently assess their children’s technology use and think about imposing restrictions if they observe signs of unhealthy interactions or behaviours. She also notes that specific settings on social media and devices can offer additional protection for children.
Mental and emotional health issues are at the forefront of parental concerns. Based on a survey of 2,099 responses collected in February, the poll highlights parents’ ongoing worries about their children’s mental health. A significant number of parents are particularly concerned about issues such as depression, suicide, stress, anxiety, and related problems like bullying.
Additionally, nearly half of the parents surveyed are worried about the insufficient availability of mental health services. Susan Woolford emphasizes the serious consequences of the gap between the increasing number of young people with mental health issues and the limited access to mental health services for children’s well-being. She also notes that parents have expressed considerable concern about school violence, a worry possibly fueled by direct experiences with school shootings or fights, as well as media reports on these incidents.
Woolford further explained that alterations in school environments, such as the presence of metal detectors, armed guards, locked doors, and active shooter drills, can reinforce the awareness of potential school violence among both children and parents. This can be challenging for parents who are trying to manage their own stress and anxiety while also reassuring their children.
Woolford suggests that it can be beneficial for parents to occasionally discuss with their children how safe they feel at school and what they know about violent incidents. She advises that parents should provide information appropriate to the child’s age, avoiding graphic details and emphasizing the safety measures implemented at their school.
The poll also found that parents from low-income households are more likely to consider a range of children’s health issues as major concerns. These include depression and suicide, bullying, school violence, living in unsafe neighbourhoods, substance use issues like drinking and drugs, smoking and vaping, teen pregnancy and sexual activity, child abuse and neglect, parental stress, discrimination, COVID-19, and health risks associated with pollution.
Parents in middle and high-income households tend to view the overuse of devices and social media as a more significant issues. Woolford explains that variations in parental perspectives on children’s health problems might mirror their everyday experiences, which include dealing with challenges such as unsafe neighbourhoods and discrimination. These issues are often more prevalent in the lives of children from low-income families.
Woolford also notes that the broader concern about various child health issues in these communities is likely linked to higher levels of reported parental stress. However, parents from all income groups share similar views on other issues, such as unhealthy diets, obesity, healthcare costs, and the scarcity of mental health services.
Just outside the top ten children’s health concerns are obesity (48%), guns/gun injuries (47%), lack of mental health services (47%), poverty (45%), drinking/drug use (44%), child abuse/neglect (42%), followed by unequal access to healthcare (35%), parental stress (35%), inaccurate or misleading health information (31%), teen pregnancy/sexual activity (31%), discrimination (31%), living in unsafe neighbourhoods (30%), LGBTQ issues (29%), and health risks from polluted water and air (23%).
At the lower end of the list are concerns such as vaccine safety (16%), over-involved parenting or parents doing too much (13%), and COVID (12%). Woolford highlights that children of school age today have witnessed significant changes in classroom settings, norms around technology, and a rise in mental health challenges.
She emphasizes the importance of parents collaborating with schools, mentors, and their children’s healthcare providers to tackle both persistent and new health issues. Woolford also advises parents to frequently engage in conversations with their children and teenagers, encouraging them to voice any issues they might be facing, whether physical or emotional.