A new poll from TODAY and SurveyMonkey shows that nearly eight in 10 parents of school-age children say they've tried to limit the time their children spend on their phones or other mobile devices, and nearly three in 10 single out social media as the top source of stress or mental health issues in children. Some key stats:
- Overall, 78% of all adults and 76% of parents say social media has a negative impact on the mental and emotional health of children
- 79% of parents have ever tried to limit the time their children spend on their phones or other mobile devices
- 29% of parents single out social media as the factor that contributes most to mental or emotional health issues in children, more than name bullying, stress, loneliness, parental pressure or any other stressor
- Most parents (58%) say they "rarely" or "never" find themselves paying more attention to their phone when they are with their children
- If their child were experiencing mental health issues, 55% of parents believe they would turn to them, and 13% believe they would turn to another family member
Read more about our polling methodology here.
Click through all the results in the interactive toplines below:
Question text:
How concerned are you about the amount of time you spend on your phone or other mobile devices?
What is the main way that you communicate with immediate family members?
When eating meals with family and friends, how often do you look at your phone or other mobile device?
Which of the following do you think contributes most to mental or emotional health issues in children?
Overall, would you say social media has a positive or negative impact on the mental and emotional health of children?
When you are with your child/children, how often do you find yourself paying more attention to your phone or mobile device than to them?
How often does your child talk to you about their day?
How much time does your child spend using their phone or other mobile devices?
Would you say your child interacts with other children more often online or in person?
How much does your child’s phone or mobile device usage affect their relationships with others?
Have you ever tried to limit the time your child spends on their phone or other mobile devices?
If your child were experiencing mental health issues, who do you think they would most likely turn to for help?
NBC News|SurveyMonkey
