"I've let screens take over": Maternal Guilt About Media and Relations to Children's Problematic Media Use

Parents today face increasing challenges in managing children's media use, which are often accompanied by intense feelings of guilt. This study examines the prevalence and predictors of mother's parental media guilt surrounding their own and their child's media use. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data from 474 U.S. mothers (65% White, M child age = 7.48 yrs). Approximately half of mothers endorsed moderate or higher levels of guilt on several media guilt related items. Maternal guilt about their child's media use was significantly associated with higher maternal depression, lower media efficacy, and greater child problematic media use (PMU). In contrast, mothers' guilt over their own media use was associated with maternal depression and child PMU. Media content and screen time did not predict guilt levels. Younger maternal age predicted both types of guilt. Findings suggest that maternal media guilt is both common and complex and may be more closely tied to perceived parenting ideals and emotional well-being than to actual media behaviors.