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Research ArticleOriginal Research

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

Jenny S. Radesky, Staci Eisenberg, Caroline J. Kistin, Jamie Gross, Gabrielle Block, Barry Zuckerman and Michael Silverstein
The Annals of Family Medicine November 2016, 14 (6) 503-508; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1976
Jenny S. Radesky
1Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
MD
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  • For correspondence: jradesky@umich.edu
Staci Eisenberg
2Division of Medicine-Pediatrics, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island
MD
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Caroline J. Kistin
3Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
MD, MSc
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Jamie Gross
3Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
BA
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Gabrielle Block
2Division of Medicine-Pediatrics, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island
BS
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Barry Zuckerman
3Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
MD
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Michael Silverstein
3Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
MD, MPH
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    Table 1

    Characteristics of Study Participants, N = 35

    CharacteristicValue
    Age, mean (SD), y35.8 (23–55)
    Race/ethnicity, No. (%)
     White (non-Latino/Hispanic)20 (57.1)
     Black (non-Latino/Hispanic)10 (28.6)
     Latino/Hispanic2 (5.7)
     Other3 (8.6)
    Single parent, No. (%)11 (31.4)
    Educational attainment, No, (%)
     High school, GED, or less14 (40.0)
     Associate’s degree or some college4 (11.4)
     Bachelor’s degree5 (14.3)
     Graduate or professional school10 (28.6)
    Occupational status, No. (%)
     Full-time employment11 (31.4)
     Part-time employment10 (28.6)
     Homemaker or looking for work12 (24.3)
    Relationship to child, No. (%)
     Mother22 (62.9)
     Father9 (25.7)
     Grandmother4 (11.4)
    Age of child, No. (%)
     0–2 y16 (45.7)
     3–5 y16 (45.7)
     6–8 y22 (62.9)
    • GED = general equivalency diploma.

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  • 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.
  • Supplemental Appendix

    Supplemental Appendix.

    Files in this Data Supplement:

    • Supplemental data: Appendix - PDF file
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The Annals of Family Medicine: 14 (6)
The Annals of Family Medicine: 14 (6)
Vol. 14, Issue 6
November/December 2016
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Overstimulated Consumers or Next-Generation Learners? Parent Tensions About Child Mobile Technology Use
Jenny S. Radesky, Staci Eisenberg, Caroline J. Kistin, Jamie Gross, Gabrielle Block, Barry Zuckerman, Michael Silverstein
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2016, 14 (6) 503-508; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1976

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Overstimulated Consumers or Next-Generation Learners? Parent Tensions About Child Mobile Technology Use
Jenny S. Radesky, Staci Eisenberg, Caroline J. Kistin, Jamie Gross, Gabrielle Block, Barry Zuckerman, Michael Silverstein
The Annals of Family Medicine Nov 2016, 14 (6) 503-508; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1976
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