The Parent Coaching Institute (PCI) has initiated a significant research project aimed at exploring the complex relationship between teenagers, their screen time, and parental approaches to digital media management. By launching simultaneous surveys targeting teens aged 11-18 and their parents, the organization seeks to uncover critical insights into technology usage and communication strategies.
Gloria DeGaetano, PCI's founder and CEO, highlighted the project's unique approach, noting that while extensive discussions exist about screen time's potential mental health impacts, limited research has explored teenagers' actual preferences and resilience mechanisms. The surveys represent an innovative attempt to bridge this knowledge gap by directly soliciting perspectives from both teenagers and parents.
Christina Gika, a PCI Certified Parent Coach and project collaborator, emphasized the research's core motivation: addressing communication challenges surrounding technology use within families. Her involvement stems from observing recurring difficulties parents encounter when navigating digital media interactions with their teenage children.
The surveys, distributed across the United States, Canada, Middle East, and Europe, will remain open until February 28. Researchers anticipate compiling comprehensive results by Spring 2025, potentially offering groundbreaking insights into family technology dynamics.
This research is particularly timely given increasing concerns about digital media's influence on adolescent development. By capturing nuanced perspectives directly from teenagers and parents, PCI aims to develop evidence-based strategies that promote healthy technology engagement while maintaining familial connections.
The project aligns with PCI's broader mission of supporting parents through professional coaching and research-driven approaches. As a recognized leader in parent coaching, the organization continues to develop innovative methods for addressing contemporary parenting challenges.
Preliminary expectations suggest the survey results might provide valuable guidance for parents struggling to establish balanced digital media boundaries, potentially offering new communication strategies and understanding of teenage technology preferences.
