STAY-AT-HOME mothers spend an extra two hours each week looking at their smartphones and even more time in front of the computer and the television than their working counterparts, a new study has revealed.

Their extended technology use came even though working mothers were more likely to own new gadgets, from smartphones to smart televisions.

Research firm Nielsen made the findings in a study into media consumption among mothers, which concluded mothers were increasingly adopting new technology regardless of their working status.

But the Nielsen Total Audience Report identified a significant gap between mothers most likely to own technology, and those who make the greatest use of it.

Stay-at-home mothers spent an additional eight hours watching television each week on average, whether live or prerecorded, an extra three hours using a computer, and two hours more on a smartphone.

The group was also more social online, spending an extra hour on social networks like Facebook while using a PC, and 33 minutes more each week viewing social media on a smartphone.

The only exception was working mothers’ use of social media on tablet computers, where they logged in an extra hour socialising online.

The extra income in households with working mothers appeared to go towards technology, the study showed, with more homes with working mums connected to broadband internet, and boasting more PCs, smartphones, smart TVs, game consoles, and subscription TV services.