Impact of Digital Parenting on Emotional and Behavioral Health of Children

Subrahmanya Nayak, Ann Barnes, Shruthi S, Naveen P, Manila Laveena Monteiro — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Digital technology has become an integral part of children’s daily life because of the increasing use of smartphones, tablets, social media, online gaming, and virtual learning platforms. The growing dependence on digital devices has raised major concerns regarding the emotional and behavioral health of children. Digital parenting refers to parental supervision, monitoring, guidance, and regulation of children’s online activities and screen exposure to ensure healthy digital behavior and online safety. Appropriate digital parenting practices can positively influence children’s emotional stability, educational development, communication skills, and social interactions. However, inadequate parental supervision and excessive screen exposure may contribute to anxiety, depression, irritability, aggression, sleep disturbances, behavioural problems, poor academic performance, internet addiction, and social isolation among children. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated digital dependency because of online education and reduced outdoor activities. Parenting style, family communication, socioeconomic status, and parental digital literacy strongly influence children’s technology use and psychological well-being. Digital parenting has therefore emerged as an important public health and nursing concern. The present review article focuses on the concept of digital parenting, patterns of digital media exposure among children, emotional and behavioral consequences of excessive screen use, parenting strategies, and the role of nursing professionals in promoting healthy digital lifestyles among children and adolescents.

International Journal of Neonatal Care and Pediatric Nursing

Impact of Digital Parenting on Emotional and Behavioral Health of Children