Caregivers express concern for mobile device impact on child development

SAN DIEGO — Caregivers reported a high degree of concern regarding mobile device use among their children, citing reservation of its impact on social, emotional and behavioral development, according to survey data presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting.

“Tech for young children is evolving faster than scientific research can study its effects, and this study helps pediatric providers understand the experience and concerns of a diverse group of parents, so that we can give them the most relevant, and hopefully helpful, guidance possible,” Jenny Radesky, MD, FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine, said in a press release.

While prior studies have indicated that caregivers who use devices during meals may experience additional negative interactions with their children, the potential benefits and functional uses of mobile devices by families have not been examined.

To evaluate the parental perspective on mobile device use, Radesky and colleagues interviewed caregivers of children aged < 9 years individually or in groups of two to five regarding mobile device use by themselves and their children, including possible benefits, drawbacks and effects on family interactions.

The researchers used purposive sampling to enroll parents of diverse ethnic backgrounds, educational levels and employment status, including 33% single parents, 40% non-white caregivers and 37% with a high school education or less.

Among the surveyed caregivers, the majority of respondents were mothers (63%) followed by fathers (26%) and grandmothers (11%).

According to survey results, caregivers regularly expressed a high level of apprehension regarding the “appropriate” amount of mobile device use among children, specifically related to:

• Concern of withholding educational benefits vs. concerns about negative impact on social skills, emotional availability and imagination;
• Ability to set limits vs. parental concern of difficulty staying current with evolving technologies and therefore out of their control; and
• Requirement for device use in particularly stressed families — for social support — as a possible source of behavioral control.

“One of the striking things about these interviews was that parents thanked us for letting them take part ... for letting them vent their strong feelings and uncertainties about parenting and technology, and for letting them speak with other parents who were going through similar experiences,” Radesky said in the release. – by Bob Stott

Reference:

Radesky JS. Abstract #2195.2. Presented at: Pediatric Academic Societies 2015; April 25-28, 2015; San Diego.

Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.