Study: Cell phone users have troublesome kids
- July 29th, 2008
- 3 Comments
From the “Third Variable” department:
Researchers at my alma mater, UCLA, have conducted a study that shows a strong correllation between cell phone use by a parent (pre- and post-natal) and behavior problems in their kids. Their findings:
Children with both prenatal and postnatal cell phone exposure were 80 percent more likely to have abnormal or borderline scores on tests evaluating emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, or problems with peers.
Note that this is a correllative study and indicates a direction to be looked into. It did not test, and does not address, the effect of radio frequency exposure on fetuses or what have you. It put cell phone use by parents and kids versus reported behavioral problems and found that they are somehow related. Make with it what you will!
Skeptick (Who am I?)
3 months ago
“…cell phone use by parents and kids versus reported behavioral problems and found that they are somehow related. Make with it what you will!”
any time spent using a cell phone is less time spent with the kids. duh.
A Strange Web (Who am I?)
3 months ago
90% of the population has a cell phone (made that up but I bet it is close). So that means that nearly every kid in the US should have behavioral problems. What - they cry when the researcher takes away their sucker?
I vote this “stupid study of the month”.
Chuck Steel (Who am I?)
3 months ago
I agree with Skeptick, parents that are chatting on the phone aren’t paying attention to their kids. I’d bet these are the same kinds of people that answer their cell phone when they are already in a conversation with someone in front of them. That’s poor manners, and their kids are learning that behaviour from them.
Also, at “A Strange Web”, it doesn’t say cell phone owners, it says cell phone _usage_. Both my wife and I own cell phones, but we rarely use them.