Habit most parents are guilty of is DESTROYING children’s brains and increasing depression risk, study suggests

By JOHN ELY DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 16:42 BST, 6 May 2025 | Updated: 16:46 BST, 6 May 2025

Parents who frequently use their phone or tablet around their children may be damaging their offspring’s brains and sowing the seeds of mental health problems, data has suggested.

Australian researchers analysed data from 15,000 children under five and found those whose parents had used technology in front of them performed poorly on planning, organising and attention tasks.

These children were also found to have more problems with sharing as well as regulating their emotions.

While parents have long been warned to limit their children’s use of screens, the new data suggests parental usage may have a similarly negative effect. 

The researchers said the harmful impact on children seemed to occur regardless of whether or not the screen was distracting a parent from interacting with their child.

Writing about their findings in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the scientists, from  the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, said screen use among parents leads to ‘fewer opportunities for children to engage in activities that foster the development of cognitive skills’.  

They added feeling ignored likely fuels frustration and other negative emotions in children, as well as selfishness. 

Previous studies have suggested up to 70 per cent of parents report using technology while playing or eating with their children, often multiple times a day.

Parents who frequently use their phone or tablet around their children may be damaging their offspring’s brains and sowing the seeds of mental health issues. Stock image

For the report, scientists examined data from 21 studies on parental technology use. 

One striking finding was these children had increased risk of experiencing negative emotions, such as those associated with depression and anxiety such as sadness, fear and worry. 

‘When parents frequently engage with screen-based devices in the presence of their children, the children’s efforts to interact or seek attention may be met with delayed, dismissive, shallow, or absent responses,’ the authors wrote.   

Other data also showed the children were also more prone to external outbursts of anger, impulsivity and rule-breaking.

‘Parents are children’s first and most important teachers, and child frustration can arise from inconsistent responses,’ the authors added.

The researchers said their review was the first of its kind, and there are still unanswered questions on the impact of parental technology use on child development.

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The authors said further studies should examine time periods of parental technology use that are particularly harmful as well as the type of digital activity that proves most distracting.

‘Regulating and controlling device use around children may help mitigate potential negative effects,’ they wrote. 

The World Health Organisation recommends children under two should have no zero dedicated screen time.

Children aged two-to-four should only have one hour of screen time per day, the UN-backed body adds. 

Youngsters who spend too much time using screens are known to be at increased risk of a host of health and behavioural problems, from poor eye sight to regulating emotions.

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Habit most parents are guilty of is DESTROYING children’s brains and increasing depression risk, study suggests

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