{"id":19928,"date":"2023-05-22T21:36:47","date_gmt":"2023-05-22T20:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/?p=19928"},"modified":"2024-09-27T16:59:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T15:59:33","slug":"how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/","title":{"rendered":"How and why do six-month-old infants interact with screens?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This post is part of our <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/tag\/technology-and-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series on Digital Media and Children Under 3<\/a>, published with collaboration from the journal, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/infant-behavior-and-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Infant Behavior and Development<\/em><\/a>. The featured research appeared in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/infant-behavior-and-development\/special-issue\/10BDX5D5CK5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">special issue<\/a>\u00a0that focused on how young children engage with technology and ways that parents can facilitate media engagement to promote positive development.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/#Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\" >Key takeaways for caregivers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/#Screen_use_can_negatively_affect_caregiver-child_attachment_and_childrens_development\" >Screen use can negatively affect caregiver-child attachment and children\u2019s development<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/#A_study_of_mothers_screen_use_with_their_infants\" >A study of mothers\u2019 screen use with their infants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/#Many_infants_are_exposed_to_screens_through_daily_activities\" >Many infants are exposed to screens through daily activities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-and-why-do-six-month-old-infants-interact-with-screens\/#Educating_parents_about_screen_exposure_and_use_is_essential\" >Educating parents about screen exposure and use is essential<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_takeaways_for_caregivers\"><\/span><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong> <strong>for caregivers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Screens may be beneficial to but may also prove problematic for infants\u2019 development.<\/li>\n<li>More than half of infants in a study on child development had been exposed to screens by six months and many had a screen in the room where they slept.<\/li>\n<li>Mothers reported using screens with infants for at least 1-3 hours a day and during daily activities, such as during meals, when going to sleep, while waiting, and to calm infants.<\/li>\n<li>Maternal stress did not predict the use of screens with infants, but moms\u2019 educational level did.<\/li>\n<li>Research suggests that we need to learn from caregivers why they offer screens to their young children, as well as the need for increased guidance and resources for caregivers regarding exposure to and use of screen time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Screen_use_can_negatively_affect_caregiver-child_attachment_and_childrens_development\"><\/span><strong>Screen use can negatively affect caregiver-child attachment and children\u2019s development<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The popularity of cell phones, tablets, and other screens is undeniable and has changed our world, largely for the better. These media are instruments of daily life, helping us navigate both time and location.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Mothers\u2019 self-reports of their perceived levels of stress did not predict whether a screen was provided. However, educational attainment did predict screen exposure.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>They allow us to read on the move, serve as a form of entertainment, and <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-319-45102-2_15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">connect us<\/a> rapidly and easily with those around the corner and around the globe. Screen devices are everywhere, and <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10209-021-00807-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">exposure<\/a> to them now extends beyond adults to include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commonsensemedia.org\/sites\/default\/files\/research\/report\/2019-census-8-to-18-full-report-updated.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">teenagers, tweens<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.commonsensemedia.org\/zero-to-eight-2013-infographic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">young children<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yet while cell phones may help us connect, they may also <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1542\/peds.2013-3703\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">serve to disconnect<\/a>. The challenges of <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/2702123.2702199\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disconnection<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doi\/10.1037\/ppm0000065\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>technoference<\/em><\/a>, are revealed in adult relationships and, in similar ways, may be particularly <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2050157919846916\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disruptive<\/a> for parents and other caregivers of young children.<\/p>\n<p>Young children form an <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.co.uk\/books\/about\/Attachment_and_Loss.html?id=FYEuAAAAMAAJ&amp;redir_esc=y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">attachment<\/a> to parents and caregivers, <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/tag\/attachment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">relying on them to satisfy needs<\/a> for food, warmth, safety, and affection. By attending to a child\u2019s cues, a parent is participating in the type of back-and-forth interactions that bolster development (Maccoby et al., 1983).<\/p>\n<p>Research shows that the healthy development of a child depends in part on the consistency of these back-and-forth interactions, sometimes called serve and return. Considerable evidence shows that <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/1467-8624.00313\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doi\/10.1097\/IYC.0b013e3181c97606\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">emotional<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/cognitive-development-language\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cognitive development<\/a> all begin in the small and unscripted interactions between caregiver and child.<\/p>\n<p>But research also shows that <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/infa.12342\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">screens<\/a> may sometimes <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/desc.12610\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disrupt<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/hbe2.139\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interfere<\/a> with this type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0747563217303722?casa_token=RMX7nq6eoT4AAAAA:jsTc-elrxbXRa7AADyJpMxHRRebJVsOGsurl1zg0bVetJtuApaIXahGYFTOEM3IWe1rVh7QVSQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interaction<\/a> between a <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.acap.2014.10.001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">parent and their child<\/a>, and can result in <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/srep46104\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">changes<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.infbeh.2019.101334\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">infants\u2019 sleep<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S027322971000016X?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">language<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/infa.12325\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">executive function<\/a>, and attention.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19933\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19933\" class=\"wp-image-19933 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125.jpg\" alt=\"Mother and baby lying on bed while mother shows baby smartphone.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pexels-sunvani-hoang-7973667-e1684056570125-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-19933\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/mother-and-baby-resting-on-bed-in-morning-in-bedroom-7973667\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sunvani Ho\u00e0ng<\/a>. Pexels.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_study_of_mothers_screen_use_with_their_infants\"><\/span><strong>A study of mothers\u2019 screen use with their infants<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Given the importance of the back-and-forth relationship between caregivers and young children, we conducted a study to understand why some mothers give their infants screens and others do not. While mothers offer screens for many reasons, we studied whether mothers\u2019 descriptions of their own stress levels and their educational attainment played a part.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.infbeh.2021.101644\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Our study<\/a> used data from an ongoing study seeking to understand how early experiences influence child development outcomes. Eighty-two mothers were invited to share their prenatal experiences with our team of researchers, completing surveys that asked, among other questions, about their levels of stress and their educational attainment. Our sample of mothers was diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, and educational attainment.<\/p>\n<p>After giving birth, the mothers were contacted periodically until their child turned three years old. When the infant was six months old, mothers were invited to return with their child to the research lab. At this visit, mothers were asked if their child had been exposed to screens. If they answered yes, the moms were given a survey that asked about the ways the child had been exposed to screens, including questions about what they watched, with whom, and for how long.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Caregivers may not be fully aware that screens can disrupt parent-child interactions and children\u2019s development.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Many_infants_are_exposed_to_screens_through_daily_activities\"><\/span><strong>Many infants are exposed to screens through daily activities<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Forty-three of the six-month-olds had been exposed to screens, with 28 (70%) having a screen in the room where they slept. About a third of the infants were given a screen at mealtime, while going to sleep, and while waiting at the doctor\u2019s office. About half of mothers reported offering a screen to calm their infant. More than half of moms reported providing a screen between 1-3 hours per day, and about a third reported providing a screen more than 3 hours per day.<\/p>\n<p>Mothers\u2019 self-reports of their perceived levels of stress did not predict whether they gave their infants a screen. However, moms\u2019 educational attainment did predict screen exposure: Less maternal education was associated with mothers more often offering screens to their infants.<\/p>\n<p>This information is important to consider when thinking about infants\u2019 screen use but should be taken at face value. Our study was a small sample of mothers and infants. We did not talk with mothers about why they provided screens to their infants so we can only attempt to interpret their survey responses without knowing the full picture of these early experiences for children.<\/p>\n<p>One possibility is that stress is felt universally by parents of infants and as such, was not a strong predictor of who might provide a screen. However, educational attainment is not equal or equitable among people in the United States, and it may serve as a marker of knowledge about screens or other characteristics that predict screen use.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19934\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19934\" class=\"wp-image-19934 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570.jpg\" alt=\"Baby using iphone in dark room.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-356x236.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-700x464.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pxfuel.com_-scaled-e1684056586570-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-19934\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pxfuel.com\/en\/free-photo-epemp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pxfuel<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Educating_parents_about_screen_exposure_and_use_is_essential\"><\/span><strong>Educating parents about screen exposure and use is essential<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Researchers need to understand more about why mothers offer screens to their infants. Caregivers may not be fully aware that <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/is-screen-time-detrimental-to-a-young-childs-development-maybe-not\">screens can disrupt parent-child interactions and children\u2019s development<\/a>. They may be less prepared by people they encounter in health care or social service settings to consider screen exposure and use with their infants in the same way they consider, for example, feeding or providing safe sleeping conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Given the findings from our study that screen use and daily care activities may be intertwined for some caregivers, personnel in health care and social services should facilitate these <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/benefits-of-conversations-with-toddlers\">conversations with new parents<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We hope to continue research on this topic so we can better understand how parents\u2019 educational level is related to social supports or services for mothers. We would also like to understand more fully how these supports for parents of infants might reduce the need to provide screens at certain times during the day (e.g., during meals, at bedtime, while waiting) and for extended periods of time.<\/p>\n<p>If you are a caregiver with questions about screen exposure and use with your infant, visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aap.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AAP website<\/a>, where there are <a href=\"https:\/\/healthychildren.org\/English\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">resources<\/a> for caregivers, including <a href=\"https:\/\/publications.aap.org\/aapnews\/news\/12960\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guidelines<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/links-between-toddlers-screen-time-and-language-development\/\">screen use for young children and their development<\/a>. In addition, ask your pediatrician or other health care provider questions about age-appropriate screen use so you can learn how to navigate potentially stressful times when the distraction of a screen may seem helpful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maternal reports of their infants\u2019 exposure to screens suggests that more parent education is needed around screen use with young children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":261,"featured_media":19935,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[438],"tags":[28,36,267,5820,5823],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19928"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/261"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19928"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21334,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19928\/revisions\/21334"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}