Excessive Screen Time is Harmful to Teens. Here’s How Parents Can Reduce It.
Published: July 25, 2024
Screens are everywhere, and they are increasingly eating up teen’s time and attention. From social media to video games, teens seem to be glued to glowing squares, much to their parents’ alarm. While screen time itself may not always be an issue, excessive screen time can be a mental health warning sign, especially if it is interfering with other areas of a teen’s life.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, up to 95 percent of youth ages 13-17 report using social media platforms. More than a third of youth say they are using social media “almost constantly.” And they are increasingly exposed to features that are not tailored to their still-developing brains.
The American Psychological Association has pointed out that some social media features — such as AI-recommended content, like and follower counts, infinite scrolling, and push notifications — may not be right for teens who are still developing social and emotional skills like impulse control. Many of those features are also present in games and apps that can simulate gambling, ensuring that teens pay attention for long periods of time engaged with the games and apps and potentially exposing them to gambling-like behaviors that can be harmful later in life.
We all have a role to play in reducing this harm. But perhaps the most important group who can help is parents. If you or someone you know has wondered about how to address screen time with teenagers, including time that they may be spending on social media and games, here are several research-backed strategies to consider, according to Psychology Today:
- Manage screen time: Completely cutting teens off from technology isn’t possible in today’s society. Modern teens use technology for many productive things, as well as things that can harm them. That’s why being proactive can be beneficial. Use parental controls and privacy settings, make sure you know your teen’s login information, check their accounts regularly, and engage in frequent conversations about online behavior.
- Make screen use meaningful: Screens can open up all kinds of engaging activities that create a positive difference in your teen’s life, such as online classes and spending time with friends in digital spaces. Make sure the experiences your teen engages in online are meaningful, rather than just filling time.
- Model healthy screen use: Parents and teens both struggle with screen time. So it’s important to model good behavior by creating and normalizing spaces at home where screens simply aren’t present, such as putting phones away at the dinner table or turning the TV off after you’re done watching a show.
- Monitor your teen for unhealthy screen use: Pay attention to how much time your teen is spending on their screens and look for warning signs. Those signs include excessive time with screens, boredom when not using screens, negative emotions when using screens, or losing sleep and skipping social activities.
In addition to these strategies, it is also important to educate the teenagers in your life about the risks of youth gambling. Whether it’s video games, fantasy sports, or in-app purchases, teens are often exposed to gambling online. You can help make a difference by knowing the warning signs and starting a conversation. Change the Game Ohio offers discussion guides for parents to help you or a parent you know get started.