Early use of tablets found to create difficulty in emotional regulation for young children

A study looking into the use of tablet devices amongst young children finds 3½ year olds who use them are more often frustrated or angry by the time they are 4½  years old, compared to other children the same age. This is associated with a likelihood for  children to spend more screentime at age 5½, with children having ‘tech tantrums’ as a result of their device usage being restricted. The study found that a 75 minute increase in tablet use was connected to a 22% increase in frustration and anger in children approximately one year later. The research, carried out in Canada during COVID-19, monitored 315 pre-school children at age 3½ in 2020, and followed them up when they were 4½, and 5½, with analysis carried out October-December 2023. The preschool age is an important time for children to develop and master emotional regulation skills, and screentime can prevent interaction with peers or carers. Authors of the study point out that Covid restrictions may have added to young children’s use of tablets, as well as parents’ tendency to allow their children to be entertained by screens, which has now become the norm. They suggest that parents could be encouraged instead to prompt more make believe play, shared book-reading, and physical activities, and to avoid the use of screens to counteract outburst of anger and frustration. Full findings can be found here.