How parents' internet addiction can fuel their children's & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Teenagers are often accused of being addicted to their mobile devices, but new research shows they're often just modelling their parents' behaviour.

- Raian Ali

Of course, we all use digital devices for work, for fun, and for socialising - but too much screen time can be harmful. There is such a thing as "digital addiction" and it's characterised by excessive and obsessive attachment to technology, which harms users and people around them.

Parents are often considered part of the solution when it comes to their children's technology addiction. However, in my team's recent study, we found parents may be part of the problem. The study involved 168 parents of adolescents living in Qatar.

We explored whether there was any connection between the intensity of internet addiction of parents and their children. Parents answered a questionnaire about themselves and a second one about their teenage children.

The results showed a direct connection: the more addicted the parents, the stronger their children's compulsions were. Setting an example is a powerful form of parenting. The way parents use technology is no exception.

There are ways to tackle the problem. We analysed the first survey with parents, and conducted further research involving a questionnaire with over 500 adolescents and interviews with 44 parents, 42 adolescents and 13 health and education practitioners in Qatar to understand the issue better and get best practice guidelines.