Parents’ attachment to phone screens can lead to anxiety in children – study

The Guardian UK Thursday 09 July 2026, 21:43 UTC By Dara Kerr 1 min read

Key Points

Teens feel ‘devalued, dismissed or unimportant’ when parents snub them in favor of phones, new research findsThe term “phubbing” was conceived several years ago to describe the modern-day phenomenon of a person ignoring the social setting in front of them in favor of their phone. That act has long-term negative effects when parents do it around their children, according to new research. A study titled, “Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?”, published in the peer-reviewed journal...

Teens feel ‘devalued, dismissed or unimportant’ when parents snub them in favor of phones, new research finds

The term “phubbing” was conceived several years ago to describe the modern-day phenomenon of a person ignoring the social setting in front of them in favor of their phone. That act has long-term negative effects when parents do it around their children, according to new research.

A study titled, “Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?”, published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology in June, found that parents and caregivers’ attachment to screens can exacerbate anxiety and insecurity in children and teens.

Frontiers in Psychology (ORG)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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Parents’ attachment to phone screens can lead to anxiety in children – study

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