Much of the conversation around screen time has focused on kids. But new research is turning the spotlight on parents and how their phone use may be affecting their children.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that parents’ attachment to their devices could have long-term developmental and psychological impacts on their kids. Researchers surveyed 600 teenagers ages 12 to 17 across the United States and found many reported feeling ignored, marginalized, or emotionally neglected when their parents were focused on screens.
The study found that inconsistent or distracted parenting tied to device use may contribute to what researchers call “insecure attachment.” That can lead to increased anxiety in relationships, avoidance of closeness, and difficulty forming healthy connections later in life.
Children with insecure attachment may struggle with confidence, have a lower sense of self-worth, and face challenges with intimacy and relationships. They may also be less willing to take risks that can help them grow and succeed.
“Given the high prevalence of device use among adults, even modest associations at the individual level may have broader implications at the greater population level,” researchers wrote.
Unlike more obvious forms of caregiver absence, researchers say phone-related distraction is often subtle. It tends to be brief, repeated, and socially normalized, happening in the middle of everyday interactions. However, researchers note that even short interruptions in attention can carry long-term emotional weight for children.
“These findings may support conversations with families about device use in relational contexts, an area that is often under-addressed in both public discourse and clinical practice,” researchers wrote.
The study adds to a growing body of research examining how devices impact relationships. According to 2024 data from the Pew Research Center, nearly half of American teens say their parents are at least sometimes distracted by their phones during conversations.
At the same time, major tech companies, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap, are facing lawsuits alleging their platforms harm children.
Researchers caution that the study has limitations. It relies on teens’ perceptions of their parents’ behavior, captures responses at a single point in time, and does not establish cause and effect. It’s also possible that teens with insecure attachment may be more sensitive to perceived parental distraction.
Even so, the findings point to a growing concern not just how much time kids spend on screens, but how much their parents do too.
