46% of US Teens Say Their Parents Are Too Distracted by Their Phones During Conversations

phubbing new study

By Danielle Ong , Parent Herald Aug 08, 07:04 am

Photo: (Photo : Pexel/Kampus Production)

Nearly half of all teens in the United States said they feel ignored at home, citing their parents' usage of smartphones as the cause.

In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 46% of teens reported that their parents are at least sometimes distracted by their phones to pay attention during conversations-a phenomenon known as phubbing. Of those teens, 8% said their parents are too often distracted by their phones.

Similar figures were reported when parents were asked if they believed they spent too much time on their smartphones. Overall, 47% of US parents said they spend too much time on their phones while 45% said they believe they are only spending the right amount and 5% said they spend too little time on phones.

That being said, parents' views on their own phone usage vary depending on household income. About 50% of parents earning an annual income of $75,000 or more say they spend too much time on their phones. This figure drops to 41% among parents in households earning between $30,000 to $74,999, and 38% among those making under $30,000 in annual income.

By race and ethnicity, 57% of White parents said they believe they spend too much on their phones while only 38% of Black parents and 34% of Hispanic parents said the same.

Phubbing may include glancing at the phone in the middle of a conversation, checking the phone when the conversation stills, keeping the smartphone close during one-on-one time, and interrupting a conversation to answer the phone.

How Does a Parent's Phone Usage Affect Their Children?

Parents who are constantly distracted by their phones could lead to them having a poor relationship with their children, according to research published in Frontiers in Psychology.

"When caregivers prioritize their phones over interacting with their child, what can get communicated to that child - and internalized by that child - is that the phone is more valuable, engaging, interesting, and important than them," Michelle Felder, a licensed clinical social worker, told Parents.

In addition to strained relationships, phubbing could also cause cellphone addiction in preteens, hinder language development, and affect a child's ability to learn crucial social skills.