I think many (most?) parents today no longer know how to connect with, or attune to, their children, probably because they themselves grew up with computer games and internet! Add to that stress from daily life and you have a recipe for fleeing from reality, to a screen! Used to be just television, but now there are more options with a computer...too many! Plus, almost everyone has a handheld available all the time, so you never have to be bored, or be alone with your thoughts, anymore. I rarely use my smart phone; prefer my laptop still, and I never use it in the presence of the grandkids.
It is indeed the parents and other adults in the child's life who are modeling this unhealthy behavior. The future looks bleak indeed! Many more suicides no doubt, because people will feel more and more lonely.