Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers
The early use of mobile touchscreen devices (MTSDs), including smartphones and tablets, may reduce the frequency and quality of social interactions between children and parents, which could impact their relationship and have negative consequences on children's socio-cognitive development. In th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2024.1330243/full |
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| author | Krisztina Liszkai-Peres Zsófia Budai Zsófia Budai Adrienn Kocsis Zsolt Jurányi Ákos Pogány György Kampis Ádám Miklósi Veronika Konok |
| author_facet | Krisztina Liszkai-Peres Zsófia Budai Zsófia Budai Adrienn Kocsis Zsolt Jurányi Ákos Pogány György Kampis Ádám Miklósi Veronika Konok |
| author_sort | Krisztina Liszkai-Peres |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The early use of mobile touchscreen devices (MTSDs), including smartphones and tablets, may reduce the frequency and quality of social interactions between children and parents, which could impact their relationship and have negative consequences on children's socio-cognitive development. In this study, we applied a parental questionnaire and a behavioral observational method in a laboratory setting (free and structured play sessions) to examine the association between preschool MTSD use and the quantity and quality of parent–child relationships. Our findings revealed that preschoolers who regularly use MTSDs (n = 47, aged 4–7 years, engaging in MTSD use for at least 2 h per week) are spending less time with their parents and exhibited lower quality interactions compared to non-users (n = 25). However, shared offline leisure time with parents serves as a protective factor among MTSD-users. Furthermore, our study demonstrated a positive association between parents' and children's media use. The results suggest that preschool MTSD use may have unfavorable effects on parent–child interactions, both in terms of quantity and quality. Alternatively, lower quantity and quality of parent–child interaction may lead to higher MTSD use in the child. Based on the results, the importance of engaging in sufficient offline family interactions besides digital media use should be emphasized to parents of preschoolers, and health organizations and governments should include this in their recommendations and policies concerning childhood digital media use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:46:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-888ec7bff6d14135b82a4cad55b4ac67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2813-4540 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-16T20:36:49Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-888ec7bff6d14135b82a4cad55b4ac672025-01-20T14:24:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry2813-45402024-03-01310.3389/frcha.2024.13302431330243Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolersKrisztina Liszkai-Peres0Zsófia Budai1Zsófia Budai2Adrienn Kocsis3Zsolt Jurányi4Ákos Pogány5György Kampis6Ádám Miklósi7Veronika Konok8Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDoctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryDepartment of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, HungaryThe early use of mobile touchscreen devices (MTSDs), including smartphones and tablets, may reduce the frequency and quality of social interactions between children and parents, which could impact their relationship and have negative consequences on children's socio-cognitive development. In this study, we applied a parental questionnaire and a behavioral observational method in a laboratory setting (free and structured play sessions) to examine the association between preschool MTSD use and the quantity and quality of parent–child relationships. Our findings revealed that preschoolers who regularly use MTSDs (n = 47, aged 4–7 years, engaging in MTSD use for at least 2 h per week) are spending less time with their parents and exhibited lower quality interactions compared to non-users (n = 25). However, shared offline leisure time with parents serves as a protective factor among MTSD-users. Furthermore, our study demonstrated a positive association between parents' and children's media use. The results suggest that preschool MTSD use may have unfavorable effects on parent–child interactions, both in terms of quantity and quality. Alternatively, lower quantity and quality of parent–child interaction may lead to higher MTSD use in the child. Based on the results, the importance of engaging in sufficient offline family interactions besides digital media use should be emphasized to parents of preschoolers, and health organizations and governments should include this in their recommendations and policies concerning childhood digital media use.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2024.1330243/fullpreschooler media usemobile touchscreen devicesparent–child interactionsocial interactionssmartphone/tablet useonline/offline activities |
| spellingShingle | Krisztina Liszkai-Peres Zsófia Budai Zsófia Budai Adrienn Kocsis Zsolt Jurányi Ákos Pogány György Kampis Ádám Miklósi Veronika Konok Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry preschooler media use mobile touchscreen devices parent–child interaction social interactions smartphone/tablet use online/offline activities |
| title | Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers |
| title_full | Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers |
| title_fullStr | Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers |
| title_short | Association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent-child interaction in preschoolers |
| title_sort | association between the use of mobile touchscreen devices and the quality of parent child interaction in preschoolers |
| topic | preschooler media use mobile touchscreen devices parent–child interaction social interactions smartphone/tablet use online/offline activities |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2024.1330243/full |
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