JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Parents’ awareness of the risk of the overuse of smartphones (SPs) among their children and parents’ attitudes towards this societal phenomenon are crucial factors to consider when investigating the causes and effects of, and interventions to control, this public health issue.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to explore the awareness and attitudes of parents regarding SP overuse among their children and the detrimental impacts associated with it

Methods:

The qualitative method of semi-structured face-to-face interviews was used to collect data from fathers and mothers of children aged 6–18 years

Results:

One hundred and twenty parents agreed to participate in the study: there were more female (62.5%) than male (37.5%) respondents. Almost all of the participants (98.3%) were aware that the overuse of SPs could lead to their children becoming addicted to the devices; they were also aware that there could be side effects on their health (97.5%). Although the participants, mostly the mothers, supervised their children’s use of SPs closely (88.3%), the majority could not control their children’s length of time using SPs, as the children considered this a deprivation of their rights. Eye-related problems, headaches, and anger were the most common complaints among the children

Conclusions:

Although the parents were aware of detrimental impact of SP overuse, the majority could not control the length of time their children spent using the devices. It was found that strong social bonds among family members can play a large role in controlling the use of SPs. Solutions are suggested.