Brazil study links parental phone distraction to teen insecure attachment

A research project involving 600 adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States introduced the Device Attachment Interference Scale (DAIS) to measure how teens perceive parental phone use. The findings showed a consistent association: higher perceived interference from parents’ smartphones corresponded to greater levels of insecure attachment in teens, both anxious and avoidant forms.

In Brazil, concerns about excessive screen time have risen sharply, with reports of a 1,000% increase in anxiety and depression cases among young people over the past decade. Law 15.100/2025, which bans smartphone use in schools, has shown mixed outcomes: many students still use phones during class, yet about 70% of surveyed teachers and students reported improved social interaction and learning when restrictions were applied. Experts suggest creating “presence islands” – spaces free of devices – to further promote well‑being.

Both articles highlight the mental‑health risks of pervasive device use and call for stronger public‑policy measures to curb screen time among children and adolescents.