Recent studies have underscored the overuse of technology in U.S. households. Speech and hearing experts from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) who were recently polled warn that current tech habits, if left unchecked, could produce a “time bomb” that manifests in the form of diminished communication abilities and skills.
This “time bomb” encompasses speech and language development, which is dependent on adequate time for verbal exchange such as listening, talking, reading, and interacting with parents — interactions that technology cannot duplicate — and hearing loss, which impedes communication, academic and social success.
New polling from ASHA finds that informing parents and teens of the potential risks that overuse of personal technology devices poses to speech and language development as well as to hearing health prompts an overwhelming willingness to change usage habits.
Changing Habits
The polling, conducted in recognition of Better Hearing & Speech Month, found that once informed of communication health risks, the potential for impaired speech and language development and the ability to hear, for example-more than 79% of parents said that they are willing to set stronger usage parameters at home and 90% are more likely to change their own personal tech device habits to be a better tech role model for their families.
Millennial parents, in particular, are willing to change their habits. The polling found 46% of millennial parents say they are much more likely to implement stronger guidelines around technology use in their household — only 22% of older parents say the same.
“The strong interest in adopting safer behaviors is a refreshing and hopeful sign,” ASHA 2016 President Jaynee Handelsman, PhD, CCC-A, says. “It suggests that despite our society’s dependence on technology, parents and teens are willing to change their habits in meaningful ways once they learn that overuse comes with risks. It’s encouraging that millennial parents, who have grown up in the digital age, according to our polling show the most willingness to change.”
Eighty-four percent of teens said that they are more likely to keep the volume down on devices; 74% are inclined to use their devices less when they are around their parents and family; and 69% are so inclined when they are around their friends.
The polling was conducted by Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner Research, which surveyed 500 parents of children ages 0-19 from March 17 to 21 and 500 teens ages 13-19 from March 21 to March 24, 2016.
Effect on Family Communication
The polling shows that both parents and teens, on average, each use tech not only more than 5 hours daily but also when communication abilities and skills are typically developed, including conversations between parents and children as well as family dinners and leisure activities.
Majorities of parents at least sometimes check their phones at the dinner table (50%) and use a device during leisure time with their children (67%). Additionally, 55% of teens reported having no rules limiting tech usage in their homes (although parents disagree: more than two-thirds of parents report implementing at least general guidelines on their children’s use of technology).
The polling also indicates that teens and parents have come to depend on using these devices to solve boredom, get time to themselves, and even communicate with one another rather than talking face to face. For example, more than half of teens (52%) reported often or sometimes using texting or instant messaging to communicate with parents when inside the home.
Adopt A “Digital Diet”
ASHA experts are urging parents and teens to adopt a new “Digital Diet” to help moderate tech use in favor of more conversation and human interaction. Tips include creating a family technology plan, keeping a log, or sponsoring tech-free nights and events.
“We encourage parents to consult the Digital Diet we have developed for guidance making safer tech usage a reality at home,” Handelsman says. “The steps involved are simple and easy, but they can make a big difference preserving and protecting communication health.”
Handelsman notes that the Digital Diet can help build on another bright spot from the polling: 93% of teens whose parents have set tech usage rules at home considered rules fair. Similarly, 96% of parents who have set usage rules said that they were successful.
ASHA encourages the public to visit www.asha.org/ProFind to find a certified audiologist and speech-language pathologist in their local area if they have communication health concerns.
Complete polling results are available at www.asha.org/bhsm.
A Digital Diet: Managing Technology in Tweens & Teens
Finding Opportunities for Communication with Tech-Obsessed Kids
Limiting the amount of time that tweens and teens spend using personal tech devices is often a major challenge. A digital diet can help to moderate tech use in favor of more opportunities for conversation and human interaction. These are key to children’s communication health and development. Here are some tips for putting your family on a digital diet:
- Create a family technology plan—together. An agreed upon set of rules around family members’ technology use (when, where, how much, for what, with whom, etc.) is a good way to keep everyone on track. By involving your kids in the process, you are more likely to achieve the results you want. Technology is often an integral part of teens’ social experience—so being respectful of this will help. Schedule regular check-ins to see how the plan is working and to determine whether you’re actually substituting tech time with more quality time together.
- Sign a pledge. Make your plan official by having family members sign a pledge. It helps hold everyone accountable. This is a model that has been used for years, especially when it comes to issues such as drinking and driving, texting and driving, etc. Here are some examples from Common Sense Media that you can use and modify. Focus on the positive replacements for technology, such as uninterrupted family dinners.
- Keep a log. How much time does everyone in your family spend online? Alternatively, how much time does the family spend talking and engaging in activities together? Just as a food diary can be eye opening, keeping a log of a typical tech week may help identify habits to change and goals to set in terms of family bonding and communication.
- Sponsor tech-free nights/events. Whether it’s a game night, a neighborhood block party, or another type of gathering, going tech-free on occasion can provide rich opportunities to build family and social relationships.
- Designate tech-free zones in the home. The kitchen, bedrooms, the family room . . . there may be one place in your home that you can keep devices out of, as a general rule. This helps with the temptation to constantly check your phone or jump at the sound of every incoming notification. It makes a difference to even have 30 minutes free from tech distractions.
- Talk over text, when possible. Texting offers tremendous convenience for parents to get in touch with their kids. But texting is not a replacement for verbal exchange. Tone, facial expressions, and other nonverbal signals are just some of the ways in which texting falls short (emojis don’t do the trick). Try to avoid texting your teen when both of you are at home, as a start.
- Take a vacation from your technology. Some parents have turned to tech-free vacations to connect more with their tweens and teens. Unplugging completely may not be realistic for everyone. However, there may be specific activities or times when you can leave the devices behind. Family communication can increase. Everyone will be “in the moment” instead of documenting the moment for Facebook or Instagram.
- Listen safely. Many tween and teens spend hours a day with the volume cranked up, using headphones or earbuds. Unfortunately, they are putting their hearing at serious risk. This damage is irreversible. The World Health Organization has labeled unsafe listening an international health threat—1.1 billion young people are at risk of harming their hearing from unsafe listening of personal tech devices or at noisy entertainment venues. This is a message that tweens and teens need to “hear” from their parents.
Remember that tweens and teens will be watching their parents’ habits closely. Practice what you preach when it comes to limiting tech use. Keep yourself on the same digital diet that you set for your children.
About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 186,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems, including swallowing disorders. www.asha.org.