The effect of social media usage on parent-child attachment styles

As of 2023, 97% of Americans own a cellphone. Furthermore, 90% of Generation Z, ages 18-24, report social media usage (CivicScience, 2023). The different attachment styles have been found to be associated with different social media use patterns. Furthermore, anxiously attached individuals are more likely to use social media and fulfill attachment needs (Stöven & Herzberg, 2021). Findings have also indicated that social media addiction may relate to earlier stages in individual;s lives when attachment of their guardian was developing (D’Arienzo et al., 2019) This study observed how media consumption can affect parent-child attachment styles. Previous studies have shown media use for parents leads to insecure attachment with their children. There is a gap in research on how the child’s media usage can affect their attachment styles.