Parents, much like their children, are grappling with high levels of stress due to constant distractions from their mobile phones, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Michigan Medicine.
While mobile devices offer numerous conveniences for busy, working parents, the barrage of notifications and alerts that flood their screens each day has been found to significantly increase anxiety, the research found.
The findings come at a time when many school districts are pushing to restrict student cell phone use during school hours due to their potential for distraction. However, the study suggests that parents, too, are feeling the negative effects of constant digital interruptions.
The research, conducted between 2020 and 2021, revealed that parents received an average of nearly 300 mobile notifications daily. On average, the parents involved in the study checked their phones 93 times a day.
“Parents of young children are often multitasking,” said Dr. Tiffany Munzer, the study’s lead author and a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the university’s Health Mott Children’s Hospital. “The constant disruptions from screens add an additional layer of challenge to their already demanding lives.”
According to Munzer, many parents are trying to juggle parenting, household responsibilities, and work simultaneously. The intrusion of mobile phones into their daily routines only adds to their stress.
The study, which involved 62 parents of children aged 4 to 6, was conducted during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The average age of the participating parents was 37.
Researchers found that parents experienced more phone notifications and pick-ups compared to previous studies, which they attributed to increased media consumption during the pandemic. Parents were likely monitoring pandemic-related news in addition to their regular phone usage.
Weekdays proved to be particularly stressful, with notifications contributing significantly to parental stress, noted senior author Dr. Jenny Radesky, also a behavioral developmental pediatrician. The demands of balancing work, home life, and, in many cases, remote schooling during the pandemic amplified the stress of constant digital distractions.
“This study gives us insight into how phone distractions can impact parental stress on a day-to-day basis,” Radesky explained.
Experts warn that while smartphones provide access to information and connectivity, they come with a price: distraction, stress, and even depression.
“We’ve all experienced that ill-timed ping on our phone,” said Dr. Marschall Runge, CEO of Michigan Medicine and executive vice president of medical affairs at the university. “Sometimes it’s just a minor annoyance, but it can also be the crucial message we’ve been waiting for, even if it wakes us up or disrupts our concentration.”
Runge emphasized that in today’s hyper-connected world, people feel an expectation to be reachable 24/7, which increases their stress levels.
However, he noted, the situation could be worse—losing access to a phone can lead to even greater stress. This condition, known as nomophobia, reflects the growing dependence on mobile devices in modern life.
“For many, not having access to their phone is even more stressful,” Runge concluded.
The study serves as a reminder that while smartphones offer valuable tools for staying connected, they can also be a source of significant stress for parents as they try to manage their many responsibilities.
