Children’s Problematic Media Use and Mental Health Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the lives and well-being of children and families. Two major concerns include children’s and parents’ mental health and their digital media use. With the increased time spent online to participate in school, and the decreased options for safe social interaction, concern has been raised regarding dysregulated digital media use (and its potential relation to children’s well-being). In this symposium, we bring together studies that seek to shed light on problematic (i.e., dysregulated) media use and mental health correlates in families with children or adolescents. The studies use distinct methods, and reflect a diverse range of participants. In Study 1, parents of children (elementary-middle school age; 73% recipients of Medicaid) from Detroit completed measures on problematic media use and their children’s mental health symptoms. Study 2 utilized a mixed-methods design to examine parents’ (predominantly White and middle to high household income) concerns about children’s (elementary-middle school age) media use during the pandemic, and the association between problematic media use and parents’ psychological distress. Finally, Study 3 consisted of a longitudinal analysis of problematic media use among Peruvian youth (adolescents; from low to middle income urban areas) from before the pandemic to the height of the first wave of the pandemic. Despite having distinct methodologies and samples, the studies support links between children’s problematic media use and psychological distress in children and parents during the pandemic. Discussion of implications for reducing problematic media use and supporting families’ well-being will be emphasized in this symposium.

Sub Unit

• Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Chair

• Brendesha Tynes, University of Southern California

Individual Presentations

• Problematic Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Children’s and Parents’ Mental Health - Presenting Author: Sarah E. Domoff, Central Michigan University; Non-Presenting Author: Lucy McGoron, Wayne State University

• “We are well into screen OVERLOAD!” Child Problematic Media use and Parent Psychological Distress During COVID-19 - Presenting Author: Lauren Eales, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Non-Presenting Author: Gail M Ferguson, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Non-Presenting Author: Shelby Smoyer, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Non-Presenting Author: Sarah Gillespie, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Non-Presenting Author: Stephanie M Carlson, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Problematic Media use During the Pandemic: An Investigation among Peruvian Youth - Presenting Author: Lucía Magis-Weinberg, University of Washington; Non-Presenting Author: Sarah E. Domoff, Central Michigan University; Non-Presenting Author: Estelle L. Berger, University of Oregon; Non-Presenting Author: Alexa Zimbalist, University of California, Berkeley; Non-Presenting Author: Ron E Dahl, University of California, Berkeley