Overstimulated Consumers or Next-Generation Learners? Parent Tensions About Child Mobile Technology Use

The Article in Brief

Overstimulated Consumers or Next-Generation Learners? Parent Tensions About Child Mobile Technology Use

Jenny S. Radesky , and colleagues

Background With the growing use of mobile devices by young children, researchers interviewed a diverse sample of mothers, fathers and grandmothers to better understand their views about child mobile technology use.

What This Study Found The 35 caregivers interviewed reported feeling uncertain about whether mobile technologies are beneficial or harmful to their children's development, how to use digital devices beneficially when their rapid evolution seems out of control, and the important purposes media serve in their families despite displacing family time. In particular, caregivers identified three conflicting viewpoints: 1) effects on the child -- fear of missing out on the benefits of mobile devices vs. concerns about their effects on children's thinking and behavior; 2) loss of control -- wanting to use mobile technology in educational ways vs feeling that rapidly evolving technologies are beyond their control; and 3) family stress -- the necessity of mobile device use in stressed families vs its interference with high-quality family time. The authors propose a framework with which clinicians can respectfully and realistically discuss mobile technology use with caregivers so they can make informed and empowered decisions.

Implications

• The authors assert that their findings present opportunities for influencing behavior change. Tensions in the unknowns surrounding new technologies may be an effective entry point into clinicians' conversations with parents.