Parents may not worry spending their time on smart phones, according a new comprehensive analysis published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. In the analysis of data from 3, 659 parent-based surveys, the authors tested 84 different possibilities to assess whether smartphone use was associated with parenting, and they found little evidence.
‘Data of new study helps move us towards constructive and nuanced conversations around families' diverse experiences with technology.’
Read More..Tweet it Now
Accordingly, they explored whether the effect of phone use on parenting depended on whether it displaced time with family and was associated with family conflict.Read More..
At low levels of displacing time with family, more smartphone use was associated with better (not worse) parenting. The authors noted that, especially considering diverse family environments, smartphones play multiple roles in family life, and when not heavily impacting on family time, may have a positive role in parenting.
"The challenge with much of the technology-family literature is that is has mainly stemmed from an assumption of risk and problems. As a result, small and uneven findings can become the focus of media, policymakers, and parents," said lead author Kathryn L. Modecki, PhD, of Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, in Australia.
"This is an issue because it can cloud our insight as we focus on ways to meaningfully assist parents and families to enhance positive outcomes."
Thus, Dr. Modecki and her colleagues used a transparent approach that mapped a myriad of ways that smartphones could link to family wellbeing.
Advertisement
Advertisement