Handing a phone or tablet to a crying or throwing-a-tantrum toddler to calm them down is a familiar tactic for almost every parent. However, according to a new study from The Ohio State University, the impact of this practice on a child’s development is not clear-cut and largely depends on the child and the family itself.
The paper, published in the scientific Journal of Communication, examined how frequent screen use affects a child’s fundamental skills, such as attention span, emotional regulation, and impulse control. It is these qualities that determine a child’s future academic success, mental health, and social relationships. For this purpose, the researchers analyzed multi-year development data of children aged 2.5 to 7.5 years.
It turned out that a vicious cycle of sorts is created in most families. The more fussy and difficult to calm a child is, the more often the parent gives them a phone. Excessive screen use, in turn, prevents the child from learning to manage their emotions independently. As a result, the child becomes even more fussy, and the parent is forced to turn to the screen again. However, specialists note that breaking out of this cycle is possible. If we teach a child to cope with emotions through other ways (for example, by playing outdoors or redirecting their attention), the dependence on the phone will naturally decrease.
The study revealed another important detail: in families where parents showed signs of depression, giving a phone to the child became almost the only way to cope with stress. Scientists emphasize that instead of blaming parents, society and the healthcare system should focus on supporting their mental health.
