Technoference: Longitudinal Associations Between Parent Technology Use, Parenting Stress, and Child Behavior Problems

LiveMore ScreenLess’ Summary

The associations between parent technology use and child behavior were examined in this study, and to understand whether this use is mediated by parenting stress.

The research found that  greater child externalizing behavior predicted greater technology interference, due to  greater parenting stress; and secondly that technology interference often predicted greater externalizing behavior.

Studies suggest that adults experience more frustration and conflict, less in-depth conversation, and lower sense of empathy  when mobile devices are used during social interactions. Parents are now estimated to use digital media (e.g., television, computers, smartphones, tablets) an average of 9 h per day, with about 3 h per day on their phones. Parents reported feeling emotionally and cognitively affected by their mobile device use in ways that can make it difficult to read and respond to child behavioral cues. Parents have described using mobile devices when needing a break from difficult child behavior, relieving stress through use of entertainment apps, or to keep their household quiet.

Instead of assessing duration of parent media use, this study measures the extent to which different forms of technology intrude in or interrupt interpersonal interactions and activities during daily routines between parent and child. Parents who frequently use mobile devices during parent–child activities showed lower understanding of their child’s mental state and intentions.

Internalizing behavior in children consists of items such as “whining,” “sulks a lot,” and “feelings are easily hurt.” Externalizing consists of items such as “can’t sit still, restless, or hyperactive,” “easily frustrated,” and “temper tantrums or hot temper.”  Parent stress level was also measured. Models showed that child behavioral difficulties—especially externalizing—were associated with later higher levels of parent stress, which in turn were associated with higher downstream technology use during parent–child activities.

May be worthwhile to study in the future  whether experimental manipulation of parent mobile phone use habits—for example through unplugged family routines or less intrusive digital design—might lead to improvements in the parent–child relationship and child behavior.

McDaniel, B.T., Radesky, J.S. Technoference: longitudinal associations between parent technology use, parenting stress, and child behavior problems. Pediatr Res 84, 210–218 (2018).