TY - JOUR
T1 - Naturalistic observations of caregiver – child dyad mobile device use
AU - Ewin, Carrie A.
AU - Reupert, Andrea
AU - McLean, Louise A.
N1 - Funding Information:
No funding was received for conducting this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Parental mobile device use during parent–child interactions has become increasingly common and has been linked to a reduction in parental sensitivity. This study extends previous research in two ways: first it explores the relationship between independent and joint caregiver device use and a wide range of attachment behaviors; second, it acknowledges the bidirectional nature of attachment relationships by evaluating how young children behave throughout individual and joint use. Sixty-six naturalistic, nonparticipant observations were conducted with caregiver–child dyads in Australian malls in 2018. Children aged 12-years-old and under were eligible for observation. Fifty-four caregivers utilized a mobile device independently, and three caregivers jointly used a device with children. Caregivers who used devices joined in play, initiated conversations, and responded to attentional bids less often than non-device using caregivers. During device use, four caregivers were inattentive when children engaged in risky situations which may have caused injury and four caregivers spoke to or interacted harshly with children. When caregivers used devices, children either continued their activity, sought caregiver interaction, or demonstrated escalated bids for attention. In response to joint device use, children remained engaged with the device and failed to interact with the caregiver. This research may be useful for parents, or healthcare providers working with parents, to assist them in making conscious decisions about device use. This research also suggests that parental device use guidelines may be valuable.
AB - Parental mobile device use during parent–child interactions has become increasingly common and has been linked to a reduction in parental sensitivity. This study extends previous research in two ways: first it explores the relationship between independent and joint caregiver device use and a wide range of attachment behaviors; second, it acknowledges the bidirectional nature of attachment relationships by evaluating how young children behave throughout individual and joint use. Sixty-six naturalistic, nonparticipant observations were conducted with caregiver–child dyads in Australian malls in 2018. Children aged 12-years-old and under were eligible for observation. Fifty-four caregivers utilized a mobile device independently, and three caregivers jointly used a device with children. Caregivers who used devices joined in play, initiated conversations, and responded to attentional bids less often than non-device using caregivers. During device use, four caregivers were inattentive when children engaged in risky situations which may have caused injury and four caregivers spoke to or interacted harshly with children. When caregivers used devices, children either continued their activity, sought caregiver interaction, or demonstrated escalated bids for attention. In response to joint device use, children remained engaged with the device and failed to interact with the caregiver. This research may be useful for parents, or healthcare providers working with parents, to assist them in making conscious decisions about device use. This research also suggests that parental device use guidelines may be valuable.
KW - Children
KW - Joint media engagement
KW - Mobile device
KW - Parents
KW - Parent–child interaction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109166182&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10826-021-01993-5
DO - 10.1007/s10826-021-01993-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85109166182
SN - 1062-1024
VL - 30
SP - 2042
EP - 2054
JO - Journal of Child and Family Studies
JF - Journal of Child and Family Studies
IS - 8
ER -