A path that changes parents' lax attitude towards children's well-being

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A path that changes parents' lax attitude towards children's well-being

JAMA Pediatr
Published Online: December 12, 2022
2023;177;(1):62-70.

Longitudinal Associations Between Use of Mobile Devices for Calming and Emotional Reactivity and Executive Functioning in Children Aged 3 to 5 Years

Key Points

Question

• Is the use of mobile devices to calm young children's emotions and behavior associated with long-term difficulties with their executive functioning and emotional reactivity?

Findings

• In this cohort study of 422 parents and 422 children, increased use of mobile devices for calming children aged 3 to 5 years was found to be associated with decreased executive functioning and increased emotional reactivity at baseline; however, only emotional reactivity had bidirectional, longitudinal associations with device use for calming at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The associations were found to be increased in boys and children with higher temperamental surgency.

Meaning

• The findings of this study suggest that, particularly in young boys or young children with higher surgency, the frequent use of devices for calming should be avoided.

In short The issue has been interpreted as "Continuous calming with a smart device disrupts a child's emotional regulation and development" in the medical journal.

Easing a child's anger with a smart device can provide quick relief for parents. However, as a repeated habit, it prevents the development of the individual's emotional processing and management and is associated with weaker executive control and stronger emotional reactions, especially in boys and children with a more explosive nature. A prospective cohort study investigated how 3-5 year olds (n=422, 53% boys) who were developed for their age responded to calming with a smart device. 94% of the respondents were mothers. Children's executive control skills and emotional reactions were assessed using standardized questionnaires.

Emotional processing and management skills develop rapidly between the ages of 2 and 5. This is influenced by the child's innate characteristics and environment. If a smart device is always used when a child is upset, emotional processing and management skills, and possibly the development of executive functions, will be pushed into the future.

JAMA Pediatr

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