“Parents’ phubbing increases Adolescents’ Mobile phone addiction: Roles of parent-child attachment, deviant peers, and gender” by Xie et al.
The authors of the article, Xie, Wu, Xiaowei, and Dan, are all elites with adequate knowledge in psychology and matters pertaining to child development and pre-primary education. Their exposure and diverse understanding enable them to have effective insight into the issue concerning the relationship of parents with their young ones. In their work ‘Parents’ phubbing increases Adolescents’ Mobile phone addiction: Roles of parent-child attachment, deviant peers, and gender,’ Xie et al. focused on the contribution of parents to the smartphone addiction among young ones. The piece of work was published in 2019 when the causes and impacts of child phone usage raved around the globe, raising a number of questions to be answered. The writers touch on the parents’ phubbing as a key factor leading to the growing compulsive device usage amongst teenagers. The aspect of neglecting young ones to focus on the personal interest and satisfaction derived from using smartphones has become the point of argument on the issue of phone addiction. Social exclusion as parents’ behavior should be criticized for the overwhelming dependency on electronics among teenagers.
In modern society, children are blamed by their parents, relatives, and even teachers for being too attracted to social media, gaming, and other internet activities. However, the majority of the adults fail to comprehend and unveil the contributing factor that prompts the young ones into such destructive behaviors. Based on the article, Xie et al. intend to make the readers understand that parents’ conduct is a major factor influencing the behaviors which infants adopt during their development. In other words, the connection between the guardian and the teenagers is critical and should be maintained to allow children experience the love of their parents. When caregivers exclude themselves and give limited attention to the adolescents, the youths may opt to seek the care through other forms, including engaging in social networking with relatives and online friends.
Based on the article, the phubbing aspect lowers the time frame parents have with their young ones leaving children desperate for attention. In order to satisfy their needs, adolescents are then forced to interact with the devices hence leading to the development of deviant behaviors. The goal of Xie et al. is to make people, especially caregivers such as parents, understand the harmful effects that are focusing on their phones has on the growth of their children. Furthermore, the authors explain how the relationship guardians have with their young ones solved the negative consequences of phone addiction. When there is a strong attachment between a parent and a child, the likelihood of overcoming challenges associated with social exclusion due to smartphone usage is high. The point informs readers that roles played by parents in the life of an infant have a huge and fundamental impact during childhood transformation.
The authors claimed that parenting is critical in causing the rising rate of phone addiction. They provided sufficient research evidence supported by statistical analysis suggesting that there is a positive correlation between children’s compulsive behavior toward using handsets and caregivers’ social exclusion as a result of using the phone. Similarly, the study reinforced the significance of having social attachment as an essential measure to reduce excessive phone usage among teenagers.
The authors used simple terms and provided effective definitions for complex terminologies to make it easier for the audience to understand. Furthermore, they supported their findings with statistical analysis, which provides proper insight into how effective the risk and protective factors contribute to and regulate phone addiction respectively in children. The authors added some lists of references to aid people in gaining more insight into the growing influence of smartphone usage. However, despite the presentation of the ideas, strong evidence requires some opposing ideas to properly engage the reader, which was not included in the research work. Moreover, some of the test statistic abbreviations are not familiar; hence needed a thorough breakdown and effective explanation to increase understanding.
In summary, the piece of work provokes some thoughts towards understanding the influence of parents’ behavior in parenting. It provides answers to most queries and averts the blames directed on young ones following their deviant conduct. Furthermore, the article indicates the significance of social interaction in the early stages of development and how it can enable parents to reduce the negative impacts associated with excessive phone usage. The information is crucial because it educates the parents on the value of attention and parental attachment. Based on the findings of the work, it is necessary for caregivers to determine how their balance their time on the phone and interaction period with their young ones. In addition, several interactive approaches such as physical games, storytelling, and normal exercise should be adopted as a measure to engage parents and teenagers to minimize phone exposure.
“Risk factors for problematic smartphone use in children and adolescents: A review of existing literature,” by Fischer-Grote, Linda, Oswald D. Kothgassner, and Anna Felnhofer.
This article by Fischer-Grote et al. talks about the growing influence of phone usage amongst the young ones and adolescents in the modern day. The authors focused on evaluating and comprehending the significance of the relationship with peers, teachers, and parents on how it contributes to smartphone addiction. Fischer-Grote, Kothgassner, and Felnhofer are all experts in the field of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, which make them highly knowledgeable in matters that affect teenagers. The authors examine key contributors of phone addiction to the youths and how the parent neglection plays a significant role in enhancing the problematic usage of the device. The article was written in 2019 when the concern about phone use among children and its impact is an issue that draws attention, especially on matters of mental health of the children. Based on the authors’ arguments, the failure of parents to take responsibility in controlling how young ones access and use phones enhances smartphone addiction.
The authors’ aim in the text is to help parents and other individuals understand key risk factors that play a major role in promoting smartphone addiction amongst children. By indicating the causes, Fischer-Grote et al. will be able to help people to overcome the situations effectively. Based on the writers’ findings, social networking and gaming activities are critical contributors to the excessive usage of the devices. In other words, when parents install game applications on their phones, the likelihood of the young ones using the phone for playing purposes is high hence increasing their exposure to the phones. Similarly, allowing children to access and connect with their peers or relatives through online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp make them attracted to smartphones. Such involvement enables adolescents and babies to find themselves using the devices repeatedly without any or with limited interventions by the parents. It is phone features and the availability of the internet that is promoting the urge of youths to use the phones in the current generation.
In addition, the article talks about the negative impacts of phone addiction that are detrimental to both parents and young ones in general. Fischer-Grote et al. suggested that there is an increase in uncontrollable behavior amongst phone users, such as constant checking of notifications and a high rate of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the authors highlight other essential physical symptoms associated with excessive phone usage. For instance, they want the reader to understand that mood changes, withdrawal, and addiction to gaming are consequences of problematic use of devices. When such behaviors are adopted by an individual, especially children, their ability to concentrate on their school studies and other activities is paralyzed, making them less effective in life. Despite the advantages associated with smartphone usage, if adolescents are allowed to overuse them, then they are more likely to experience severe impacts that may affect their overall health and social lifestyle.
The article involved a deep search where the authors reviewed several articles to extrapolate the relationship between problematic phone usage and the level of addiction amongst teenagers. The thorough research made the piece of work to be effective and specific to the key points that facilitate the compulsive usage of the phone by adolescents. The study allows the reader to understand how the aspect of gaming and the amount of time spent using the device to play games directly correlates to the addiction.
Upon reading the article, the authors introduce the aspect of a good relationship as a protective factor against the growing menace of phone addiction among young ones. The connection children have with their parents is essential in determining how the usage of smartphones impacts young ones’ well-being. When guardians guide the young ones accordingly and monitor the time they spend using the devices, the chances of lowering the rate of addiction will be increased. However, despite the contribution and identification of risk and protective factors, the article fails to provide the link between school and phone addiction. The influence adolescent derives from peers and elements of online education are not covered in the text, yet they contribute massively to excessive phone use.
In summary, the excessive use of phones for gaming and social networks is reducing the social growth and development among teenagers. Constant use of the device has made several youths withdraw and lack the ability to connect with relatives, peers, and educators. Addressing the concern of addiction is significant because it will enable parents to prevent physical, mental, and behavioral habits that can destroy the well-being of adolescents. Following the rapid increase in the level of addiction, teachers, parents, and relatives should establish an effective relationship with the young ones to form a protective factor that lowers the compulsive usage of smartphones by teenagers.
“The relationship between mother’s smartphone addiction and children’s smartphone usage,” by Kim, Bomi, et al.
Kim, Bomi, et al., the authors of ‘The relationship between mother’s smartphone addiction and children’s smartphone usage,’ have proper knowledge in areas of psychiatry and psychology, which is essential in understanding the mental health issues. The writers are experts on issues involving psychoanalysis and comprehend how they relate to the well-being of the young ones as well as the parents. The article ‘The relationship between mother’s smartphone addiction and children’s smartphone usage’ was published in the year 2021. The piece of work is aimed at finding the connection between the levels of a mother’s addiction to phones to the child’s compulsive usage. The article was printed during the period when the prevalence of smartphone use was common in most countries across the world. Similarly, emerging health concerns are recorded, making people question the possible cause of children’s problematic handset usage. The scholars link mothers’ dependence on phones to the riding rate of smartphone addiction amongst young ones.
The authors want the reader to understand the impacts of phone addiction on the well-being of children. They explored various pieces of evidence to prove that a mother’s dependence on the smartphone plays a critical role in determining the rate at which the babies use the devices. Generally, infants spend most of their time around their mother, which makes them adapt to the environment. If the mother is fond of using a smartphone when taking care of the baby, the young one’s attention will be drawn towards the device, making them love them too. Kim, Bomi, et al. used research questionnaires to diagnose the child’s phone usage where parents were the respondents. The study focused on areas such as internet addiction and the related psychological effects it causes on developing adolescents.
The article indicates that children whose mothers used smartphones frequently began using the handset at an early age than those whose mums did not use the phones most of the time. It is clear from this perspective that exposure and ease of access to smartphones determine their usage. In other words, when parents lower the chances of children reaching the devices, it becomes difficult for them to obtain and learn to use them. The addiction to phone usage amongst young ones is due to limited self-control on when and how to interact with the smartphone.
In addition, the authors mentioned maternal depression and low energy as a factor that may prompt mothers to use smartphones as a form of parenting tool to enable them to soothe their young ones when they are crying. Depression is capable of making parents form weak bonding with their babies hence making them less committed to managing the well-being of infants. The factors then function together and increase the likelihood of the child accessing and using a smartphone at an early age.
The authors used enough evidence to support their findings concerning the study. They included statistical analysis involving research data to provide proper insight into the cause of children’s smartphone addiction. Moreover, the scholars borrowed ideas from other sources to enrich their arguments making their claims to be strong. Despite the effort to make the work friendly to readers, some of the statistical terminologies were complex, making it difficult to understand how the investigators reached the outcome.
In conclusion, parents, especially mothers, contribute significantly to excessive child smartphone usage. Using phones as a parenting tool to soothe young ones exposes them to the devices. Continuous interactions with the handsets make babies grow immense interest in smartphones. Early usage of smartphones endangers the cognitive development of infants, which is harmful to their growth. Understanding the impacts of a mother’s addiction to the phone will enable parents to curb the increasing rate of problematic phone usage amongst children. It is necessary for parents to formulate effective ways of parenting infants to reduce their chances of accessing handsets at an early age.
Works Cited
Fischer-Grote, Linda, Oswald D. Kothgassner, and Anna Felnhofer. “Risk factors for problematic smartphone use in children and adolescents: A review of existing literature.”Neuropsychiatrie, vol. 33, no. 4, 2019, pp. 179-190.
Kim, Bomi, et al. “The relationship between mother’s smartphone addiction and children’s smartphone usage.”Psychiatry Investigation, vol. 18, no. 2, 2021, pp. 126-131.
Xie, Xiaochun, et al. “Parents’ phubbing increases Adolescents’ Mobile phone addiction: Roles of parent-child attachment, deviant peers, and gender.” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 105, 2019.