Assessing The Effects Of Excessive Smartphone Use On Children's Mental Health And Family Dynamics
Keywords:
Smartphone Use, Children’s Brain Health, Family Life, Daily Screen ActivitiesAbstract
Children carry smartphones daily is raising issues about their mental and emotional health in future years. In this study, the researcher highlights the impact of heavy use of smartphones on Children’s mental health by looking at family situations and how parents are digitally literate. Using a questionnaire completed by 215 Children and their parents, the study looks at how excessive smartphone time affects their mental health and emotions, how the family’s dynamics contribute and what role parental skills with technology play. There was a strong positive relationship (r = 0.356, p < 0.01) identified between smartphone use and emotional distress in Children. Twenty-three point eight percent of the variation in psychological outcomes was shown to be explained by family dynamics, evidence that a warm and open family environment can lessen the threats of heavy screen use. It was found through ANOVA (F = 4.060, p < 0.001) that higher parental digital literacy did significantly improve the screen habits of Children. Therefore, it is important to develop family-based digital learning programs for families in India, as close attention to parenting and use of technology have not kept pace with recent growth in technology. The research narrows a gap in understanding by analyzing psychological factors, relations within a family and technology together to suggest effective interventions.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Bhanu Priya, D., Subramaniyam, M., & Min, S. N. (2020). Excessive Smartphone Use and Associated Physiological Disorders–A Survey on Research Status in India. In Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management. Posture, Motion and Health: 11th International Conference, DHM 2020, Held as Part of the 22nd HCI International Conference, HCII 2020, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 19–24, 2020, Proceedings, Part I 22 (pp. 391-401). Springer International Publishing.
Davey, S., & Davey, A. (2014). Assessment of smartphone addiction in Indian adolescents: A mixed method study by systematic-review and meta-analysis approach. International journal of preventive medicine, 5(12), 1500.
Feinberg, M., Hotez, E., Roy, K., Ledford, C. J., Lewin, A. B., Perez-Brena, N., ... & Berge, J. M. (2022). Family health development: a theoretical framework. Pediatrics, 149(Supplement 5).
Fischer-Grote, L., Kothgassner, O. D., & Felnhofer, A. (2019). Risk factors for problematic smartphone use in Childrenand adolescents: a review of existing literature. neuropsychiatrie, 33(4), 179.
Gangadharan, N., Borle, A. L., Basu, S., & Borle, A. L. (2022). Mobile phone addiction as an emerging behavioral form of addiction among adolescents in India. Cureus, 14(4).
Girela-Serrano, B. M., Spiers, A. D., Ruotong, L., Gangadia, S., Toledano, M. B., & Di Simplicio, M. (2024). Impact of mobile phones and wireless devices use on Childrenand adolescents’ mental health: a systematic review. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 33(6), 1621-1651.
Her, E. S., Lee, S., Yang, S. J., Park, L., Park, M. G., Kim, S. J., & Shin, Y. (2022). Lower-Income Predicts Increased Smartphone Use and Problematic Behaviors Among SchoolChildrenDuring COVID-19 Related School Modification: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 37(28)
Jabeen, U., Sarvat, H., & Hashmi, Z. (2021). Smartphone addiction and family communication in adults. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 9(3), 1288-1294.
Jain, P. (2025). The Impact of Smartphone Addiction on Social Skills and Play Behaviour Among Children. International Journal of Innovations in Science, Engineering And Management, 01-07.
Kim, H. J., Min, J. Y., Min, K. B., Lee, T. J., & Yoo, S. (2018). Relationship among family environment, self-control, friendship quality, and adolescents’ smartphone addiction in South Korea: Findings from nationwide data. PloS one, 13(2), e0190896.
Kurt, F. Y., Öner, B., & Bulut, A. (2025). Digital addiction: Are Childrenin danger? Are parents aware?. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 80, 121-128.
Lerner, R. M., Lerner, J. V., & Buckingham, M. H. (2023). The development of the developmental science of adolescence: Then, now, next—and necessary
Limone, P., & Toto, G. A. (2021). Psychological and emotional effects of digital technology on Childrenin COVID-19 pandemic. Brain Sciences, 11(9), 1126.
Liu, X., Liu, J., Flores, D. D., & McDonald, C. C. (2024). Family factors related to adolescent screen media use and mental health outcomes: a systematic review and recommendation for practices. Journal of Adolescence, 96(7), 1401-1427.
Malik, A., Nanda, A. P., & Kumra, R. (2020). Childrenin the digital world: exploring the role of parental–child attachment features in excessive online gaming. Young Consumers, 21(3), 335-350.
Marsh, J., Hannon, P., Lewis, M., & Ritchie, L. (2017). Young children’s initiation into family literacy practices in the digital age. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(1), 47-60.
Maza, M. T., Fox, K. A., Kwon, S. J., Flannery, J. E., Lindquist, K. A., Prinstein, M. J., & Telzer, E. H. (2023). Association of habitual checking behaviors on social media with longitudinal functional brain development. JAMA pediatrics, 177(2), 160-167.
Meng, Q., Yan, Z., Abbas, J., Shankar, A., & Subramanian, M. (2025). Human–computer interaction and digital literacy promote educational learning in pre-school children: mediating role of psychological resilience for kids’ mental well-being and school readiness. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 41(1), 16-30.
Nedungadi, Prema P., et al. "Towards an inclusive digital literacy framework for digital India." Education+ Training 60.6 (2018): 516-528.
Panda, A., & Jain, N. K. (2018). Compulsive smartphone usage and users' ill-being among young Indians: Does personality matter?. Telematics and Informatics, 35(5), 1355-1372.
Panova, T., & Carbonell, X. (2018). Is smartphone addiction really an addiction?. Journal of behavioral addictions, 7(2), 252-259.
Park, J. H., & Park, M. (2021). Smartphone use patterns and problematic smartphone use among preschool children. PloS one, 16(3), e0244276.
Sharma, M. K., Rao, G. N., Benegal, V., Thennarasu, K., & Thomas, D. (2017). Technology addiction survey: An emerging concern for raising awareness and promotion of healthy use of technology. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 39(4), 495-499.
Singampalli, H. S., Busi, A. B., & Raju, M. V. R. (2024). Relation of Problematic Parental Communication with Adolescent Smartphone Addiction. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 15(4).
Sohn, S. Y., Rees, P., Wildridge, B., Kalk, N. J., & Carter, B. (2019). Prevalence of problematic smartphone usage and associated mental health outcomes amongst Childrenand young people: a systematic review, meta-analysis and GRADE of the evidence. BMC psychiatry, 19, 1-10.
Terras, M. M., & Ramsay, J. (2016). Family digital literacy practices and children’s mobile phone use. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1957.
Tyagi, A., Prasad, A. K., & Bhatia, D. (2021). Effects of excessive use of mobile phone technology in India on human health during COVID-19 lockdown. Technology in society, 67, 101762.
Vélez, A. P., Olivencia, J. J. L., & Zuazua, I. I. (2017). The role of adults in Childrendigital literacy. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 237, 887-892.
Wang, J., Li, L., Wu, Q., Zhang, N., Shangguan, R., & Yang, G. (2025). Effects of parental psychological control on mobile phone addiction among college students: the mediation of loneliness and the moderation of physical activity. BMC psychology, 13(1), 1-12.
Yadav, S., & Chakraborty, P. (2022). Child–smartphone interaction: Relevance and positive and negative implications. Universal access in the information society, 21(3), 573-586.
Yogesh, M., Ladani, H., & Parmar, D. (2024). Associations between smartphone addiction, parenting styles, and mental well-being among adolescents aged 15–19 years in Gujarat, India. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2462.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
