Research has revealed that if parents listen to their kids and allow them to take care of themselves, their children will have a lower tendency to become addicted to smartphone use. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan.4 (Korea Bizwire) – Research has revealed that if parents listen to their kids and allow them to take care of themselves, their children will have a lower tendency to become addicted to smartphone use.
According to a report entitled ‘Influence of Parenting on Adolescent Smartphone Addiction’ by Professors Mun Doo-sik and Choi Eun-sil at the Catholic University of Korea, children developed higher self-esteem and had a lower tendency towards smartphone addiction when parenting was more receptive and children more independent.
Smartphone addiction is a state in which an individual is overly absorbed by their smartphone, resulting in a loss of self-control, and leaving the user in social, psychological and physical chaos.
In the academic world, it is common knowledge that the overuse of smartphones prevents adolescents from participating in social events and threatens psychological calmness, leading one to depression, low self-esteem, low motivation, and fear of rejection.
The research team conducted a survey on 700 freshmen and sophomores in junior high living in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province to analyze the correlation between parenting and smartphone addiction in children. The results showed that when an adolescent had higher self-esteem, they had a lower tendency to be addicted to smartphone use.
The self-esteem of adolescents showed a statistically meaningful correlation with parenting. The more parents pushed their opinions on their children instead of listening to them, the higher the tendency was for a child to have low self-esteem.
In addition, adolescents showed a lower tendency to be addicted to smartphones when their parents projected less pressure for success on their children.
In other words, when parents obsessed with their children’s achievements, their children were more likely to be addicted to smartphone use.
The study also showed that female students were more vulnerable to smartphone addiction than their male counterparts.
The report points out that when students feel pressured by their parents to get better grades and go to a better school, they are more likely to be absorbed in smartphones as an antisocial act.
The research also suggests that adolescents should have other channels to let out their frustration other than through smartphones, emphasizing that the government, schools and local government organizations should provide more opportunities for adolescents so that they can engage in healthier activities.
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
