Is it time to set screen-time limits for parents? Study shows ‘negative parenting practices’ link to devices

A new multinational study has found a link between a parent’s screen time-habits and their parenting style. An Adelaide researcher takes it a step further.

An Adelaide researcher thinks it is time to set evidence-based screen-time guidelines for parents, similar to those that exist for kids. Picture: iStock

Parents who turn to their screens to relax are more likely to yell and nag at their kids than those who wind down away from their devices, a new multinational study has found.

The findings have prompted an Adelaide researcher to call for screen-time guidelines to be set for parents, similar to those that exist for kids.

Dr Rosa Virgara from Uni SA’s Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) said many parents would find the advice useful.

“We know we want adults to get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity over a week, because that gives them heart health, (it) helps with reducing blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, all those things,” Dr Virgara said.

“So we now need to probably look a little bit further (to find out) what is healthy in terms of (recreational) screen-time use as well … there seems to be a void in this space, we need more of an evidence base for what is a good limit for an adult – we’ve got guidelines for children aged five to 18.

“This is something within parents’ control.”

Kids who spend time on devices rather than playing sport or interacting with friends have been found to be ‘more worried, more anxious’. Picture: iStock

She said research by her group had found kids who spent more time on their screens out of school hours, rather than playing sport or interacting with friends, “struggled most with their wellbeing”, being “more worried, more upset and more anxious”.

“(If we are) seeing this in children, it’s not surprising to see it adults,” she said.

The screen-time study, led by the University of Waterloo in Canada, found caregivers who consumed digital media for relaxation were more likely to engage in negative parenting practices, including “nagging and yelling”.

It found, on average, caregivers were spending three to four hours a day consuming digital media and that negative parenting behaviours were more likely when technology interrupted family interactions.

“It’s not just children who are often on devices, parents use digital media for many reasons, and these behaviours can impact their children,” lead author and master’s candidate in clinical psychology, Jasmine Zhang, said.

The researchers found that caregivers with higher levels of distress engaged in more screen-based activities and were more likely to turn to devices for relaxation.

However, not all media consumption was correlated with negative outcomes; maintaining social connections through digital channels was related to lower levels of anxiety and depression and higher levels of positive parenting practices such as listening to their children’s ideas and speaking of the good their children do.

“When we study how parents use digital media, we need to consider caregivers’ motivations for using devices in addition to how much time they spend on them,” Ms Zhang said.

When it comes to helping kids manage their screen time, children’s behavioural health expert, UniSA’s Associate Professor Carol Maher, suggests pre-negotiating time limits.

“It is also useful to prepare kids for coming off their electronics … perhaps give a five-minute warning the time is almost up,” she said.

Originally published as Is it time to set screen-time limits for parents? Study shows ‘negative parenting practices’ link to devices