The Parent Coaching Institute (PCI) has released the results of a multi-national survey examining parent and teen perspectives on screen time, smartphone use, and social media. Conducted by PCI founder Gloria DeGaetano and instructor Christina Gika, the survey included respondents from the United States, Greece, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and several Middle Eastern countries. Parents and teens aged 11 to 18 were randomly selected, and most were not related. The survey consisted of 24 questions, with both multiple-choice and open-ended formats, aiming to assess alignment between parents and teens on screen use and identify strategies for improvement.
According to DeGaetano, the results align with decades of research: while tech boundaries are necessary, their development, enforcement, and sustainability depend heavily on parental communication style, modeling, trust, and collaborative boundary-setting. These factors influence teens' relationship with technology more than the rules themselves. The findings suggest that thoughtful parental guidance fosters teens' internal control over their screen use.
Gika emphasized that the survey moves the conversation beyond screen time to relationship dynamics. “Our results highlight the importance of trust, communication, and connection in supporting healthy digital habits,” she said. “A strong parent-teen relationship remains one of the most powerful influences in a teen's life.”
DeGaetano added, “When families prioritize connection over control, technology stops being a source of friction and starts being a tool for growth. The parent-teen bond remains the only truly un-hackable digital safety feature.” The full white paper is available for parents and professionals at https://www.thepci.org/whitepaper.
The Parent Coaching Institute, recently featured in an article about parent coaching at https://www.example.com/article, offers a year-long online Parent Coach Certification program in affiliation with Southern New Hampshire University. Applications for the 2026 Fall Term are being accepted until September 1. For more information, visit https://www.ThePCI.org.
