Frontiers study links parental phone use to teen insecure attachment
Technology
A new study in Frontiers in Psychology found that when parents are glued to their phones, teens notice, and it can hurt their emotional bonds.
Researchers surveyed 600 teenagers and discovered that those who felt ignored by parents on devices showed more signs of insecure attachment, like feeling anxious or distant.
Insecure attachment hinders close relationships
Insecure attachment makes it harder to build close relationships later on.
The study used statements like "ignores me when they are on their device" to measure this effect.
Media psychologist Don Grant pointed out that social media is built to keep us hooked, impacting both children and adults.
The findings come as concerns grow about tech's role in youth mental health.