How much is too much phone use for kids? Should they use them in school? Have phones caused a rift between parents and their children? The Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll shows that most parents express a strong desire for change.
In a poll of 600 parents, over three quarters of respondents support an in-school ban on phones, and nearly half assume their kids spend over two hours a day on social media. Plus, the Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll revealed when it was released Sept. 17, parents tend to underestimate the impact of their own phone use. This new information comes amidst a push from Gov. Kathy Hochul to ban students’ internet access on their phones during class.
“Excessive screen time and social media use can have detrimental effects on the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of children and adults,” said Dr. Adhi Sharma, president of Mount Sinai South Nassau, which conducted the survey. “The home and school are crucial environments where we can mitigate these risks and establish guidelines that foster creative, productive, and socially constructive use of screen time while emphasizing hobbies, indoor and outdoor pursuits, and face-to-face interactions.”
Of the 600 parents who participated in the Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll between Aug. 1 and 5, 34% guessed their children spent three to four hours per day on social media, while 16% said five or more. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a maximum screen time of one hour for two to five year old children, and two hours for children ages six to 17, for uses not related to school or work.
Some New York school districts have already put in restrictions around phone use; Assemblyman Keith Brown has introduced a bill that would prohibit students from phone possession during class. 77% of parents in the Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll said they support a ban on phone use in their schools.
Further, parents display a lack of concern about phone use outside of school, the Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll indicated; only 25% said they believed their child’s social media use was harmful.
Teens who spent more than three hours per day on social media faced double the risk of bad mental health, including depression and anxiety, according to a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General study. When 13 to 17 year olds were asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% said it made them feel worse.
Further questions were raised when the Mount Sinai Truth in Medicine poll asked parents about their own phone use — only 9% of those that spend over five hours per day felt it hurt their relationships.
“An array of studies show that excessive social media use can be a distraction to parents, reducing their engagement with their children and impacting effective communication between parent and child,” said Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau. “As a result, their children pick up on their habits, which exacerbate many of the harmful and dangerous issues presented by inappropriate and abusive use of social media platforms.”
The debate over the impacts of phones for children has been going on for decades and continues in real time, but some self-reflection of the example parents create may be overdue.
