We often hear about the impact of screen time on children's brains and behaviors. However, many parents give in when a toddler throws a tantrum for a tablet. Researchers now warn that this may create a vicious cycle, as it could impair a child's ability to manage anger and increase outbursts.
Studies show that screen time for young children skyrocketed from just 5 minutes a day in 2020 to 55 minutes a day in 2022. Tablets are particularly captivating for kids due to their interactive touchscreens, personalized content, and portability, making them part of their daily routines.
The researchers of the latest study found that early tablet use may "contribute to a cycle that is deleterious for emotional regulation."
"We found that child intake of tablet time contributed to increases in expressions of anger and frustration and that greater emotional expressions of anger/frustration then lead to greater tablet use; thus, possibly leading to a cycle over time," the researchers wrote in the study published in the journal Jama Pediatrics.
The researchers used questionnaires to analyze each child's daily screen use and emotional regulation among 315 parents from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. All the participants had preschool-aged children. The children were tracked from the age of 3.5 years to 5.5 years to estimate their expressions of anger or frustration.
The researchers found that just an hour of extra screen time per day at three-and-a-half years was linked to a noticeable increase in the child's anger and frustration levels a year later.
"Child tablet use at age 3.5 years was associated with more expressions of anger and frustration by the age of 4.5 years. Child proneness to anger/frustration at age 4.5 years was then associated with more use of tablets by age 5.5 years," the researchers wrote.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to no more than 1 hour per day for children aged two to five. They advise incorporating other activities to keep children's bodies and minds engaged. When selecting media, parents should opt for interactive, non-violent, educational, and pro-social programs.
