Abstract
Previous research has connected phone use with mood and depressive symptoms but has typically relied on self-report measures of phone use. The current study examined the potential connection between objectively tracked phone use and self-reported depressive symptoms among 42 U.S. mothers with a young child (M age = 2.34 years). Their phone use was measured continuously for 5 days via an app installed on their smartphones, and mothers also completed a nightly survey each day. Mothers spent an average of 4.73 hours on their phone each day (SD = 2.87; Range = 0.70 - 13.59), and maternal phone use occurred on average during 26% of their time around their child (Range = 0% - 82%). Multilevel modeling revealed that greater daily phone use around their child was linked with greater daily depressive symptoms (b = 0.61, p = .02). Our results suggest that how much mothers use their phone around their child, not just perceptions of use, is tied to daily depressive symptoms. Intervention efforts with mothers would likely benefit from understanding and remembering how intricately tied mood and phone use may be. Mothers may also need assistance in recognizing this link in their daily lives.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-22-2024
Recommended Citation
McDaniel, B. T., Coleman, B., Cornet, V., Reining, L., Tegiacchi, R., & Kaiser, Z. (2024, April). Maternal depression and phone use around their children: A phone tracking and daily survey study. Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation. https://researchrepository.parkviewhealth.org/informatics/197
