Over the past several years, electronic devices and social media have become a part of everyday life for most which come with advantages and disadvantages in terms of family functioning (Procentese et al., 2019). One of the possible disadvantages is the negative effect in relation to family engagement and functioning which can impact marital relationships, parenting style, parent-child interactions, and communication (Procentese et al., 2019). Studying this topic is crucial since the first society that individuals experience is their family. Family is a foundational building block to an individual’s social and emotional development. Deficiencies within the structure of a family might affect the psychological well-being of its members which can create more challenges for them to function in the larger society.
Technology has transformed people’s social interactions and style of engagement into social media and changed one of our main means of entertainment to screens (Ante-Contreras, 2016). On average, American adolescents and their parents can spend more than 9 hours a day on screens. This does not include the time teenagers spent on screens at school or for their school assignments (Rideout, 2015; Robb, 2016). Almost 25% of teenagers believe they are constantly connected to the internet and 50% labeled themselves as addicted to their phones (Chassiakos et al., 2016). Also, 82% of the parents’ time on screens is spent on personal activities such as watching TV, social media apps, and video gaming, while the rest is work-related. In addition to the mental and physical damages of excessive screen time and social media usage, this can pose potential threats to the entire family dynamic, especially the relationship between parents and children (Twenge, 2017; Uncapher & Wagner, 2018).
Excessive screen time not only affects the family but also the mental health of individuals. Based on a study, excessive daily screen time is associated with lower psychological well-being, lower self-control, more distractibility, issues in making friends, less emotional stability, and inability to finish tasks. According to researchers who examined 2482 children, screen time, specifically video gaming was associated with the severity of depression and anxiety which in return can also affect the quality of the family dynamic (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2019).
Background of the Problem
Humans’ primary style of communication was face to face intersections for decades, but with the introduction of technology, this style of communication is changing rapidly. For example, social media and the usage of electronic devices has increased exponentially in the last two decades. Less than 20 years ago we did not have Instagram, Facebook, modern video games, etc. while today they are ruling the lives of many, consuming hundreds of hours over an individual’s lifespan (Ante-Contreras, 2016). According to Domoff et al. (2018), 52% of children 0 to 8 years had access to mobile devices which this number increased to 75% in 2013. Also, 79% of youth between the ages of 8 to 12 years have smartphones, and 80% have tablets. Kabali et al. (2015) found that by the age of 4, three-fourths of children had their own mobile media device.
Electronic devices and screen time can influence families and parent-child relationships (Radesky et al., 2016). Radesky and her colleagues conducted research with English-speaking caregivers of children 0 to 8 years old sampled from diverse ethnic backgrounds, educational levels, and employment statuses. According to their findings, parents consistently reported a high level of internal tensions regarding their own mobile technology as it makes it difficult for them to understand and respond to their children’s behavioral cues. According to their research, mobile technology use can impact parents in three different areas including cognitive tensions which are related to their multitasking between their work and children and leading to information and role overload; emotional tensions, such as stress-inducing effects; and tensions around their children such as disruption regarding family routines and failure to keep the peace at home (Radesky et al., 2016).
In addition, parents’ excessive screen time and social media usage can interrupt or displace family interactions and routines which are crucial for children’s development, academic achievements, and resilience reduce. Researchers suggest that the best way to benefit a child’s socio-emotional development is in-person face-to-face relationships (Twenge, 2017). However, statistics recorded less parent-child conversation and more parent hostility in response to their children’s request for attention when parents were using their mobile devices (Radesky et al., 2014). Further, parents’ excessive screen time and social media usages cause parenting stress, parents’ mental health and anxiety symptoms, work-related issues, and overall higher levels of family dysfunction (Cheever et al., 2014; Hinkley et al., 2014). This outcome is more severe regarding mother-child interactions (Nathanson, & Rasmussen, 2011).
Also, for children, screen time can cause an increase in stress, increase in time to complete tasks, increase in anxiety, decrease in problem-solving skills, decrease in emotional regulation, decrease in focus and attention span, sleep deprivation, and sensory overload (Twenge, 2017). A study at UCLA in 2014 showed that 6th graders who spent most of the week at a nature camp without digital screens were more in tune with human emotions. These children were better able to identify feelings such as happiness, sadness, anger, or fear compared to their peers with extensive access to screens (Uhls et al., 2014).
Another issue that could arise by spending excessive time on screens or socializing through social media is that it can deprive individuals specifically children from learning proper conflict resolution skills (Drussell, 2012). Conflict resolution skills are crucial for social and individual life. This can cause problems for their future marriage, career, friendships, and even their parenting (Drussell, 2012).
Most researchers failed to capture the perceptions and lived experiences of parents regarding screen time and social media usage. This study can assist clinicians and provide more information into the past research regarding the effects of screen time and social media on parents and their families. This study also identified strategies that can help parents reduce the negative effects of screen time and social media on their parenting.
Statement of the Problem
Excessive increases in screen time and social media usage can cause marital conflicts and affect parenting (Roberts, & David, 2016). For example, parents having excessive screen time can distract them, which reduces parental engagement with their children’s daily activities and affects the level of communication necessary to create strong bonds among family members (Ante-Contreras, 2016). Also, parents’ conflicts about controlling their children’s content and screen time usage can weaken their relationship and family system (Bandura et al., 2011). In addition, children of parents who excessively use social media and screen time tend to adopt the same pattern and spend more time on their devices, which leads to some behavioral and physical issues (Samaha & Hawi, 2017).
Neglecting to address screen time and social media limits causes parental disagreements regarding the screen time rules and boundaries for their children. Parents who struggle to set screen time boundaries are often not able to reinforce those boundaries which can result in parent-child relationship issues (McDaniel & Coyne, 2016; Mc Daniel et al., 2018; Twenge, 2017). If this problem is not addressed, conflicts revolving around screen time limits will continue to arise.