Early Tablet Use Linked to Growing Emotional Challenges in Kids

Caroline Fitzpatrick, PhD

Credit: Grise

A new study showed tablet use at age 3.5 years was linked to more expressions of anger and frustration at age 4.5 years. Additionally, proneness to anger and frustration at the age of 4.5 years was associated with more table usage at 5.5 years. Therefore, investigators theorized early-childhood tablet use may be harmful for emotional regulation.

According to a survey conducted in the United States, most 4-year-olds own a mobile device and screen time averaged 55 minutes per day in 2022. This is due in part to the real-time sensory stimulation touchscreen technology offers in addition to easy transportation and access to a variety of individualized content available through personalized algorithms.

However, preschool-aged children are in a delicate spot regarding the development of emotional regulation skills. Previous research has shown children who spend more time looking at screens may spend less time playing with other children or interacting with caregivers, both of which are necessary for rehearsing and mastering self-regulation. Additionally, kids who can’t effectively manage anger and frustration may face poor health, academic and psychosocial outcomes.

“Tablet use continues to increase in preschool-aged children,” wrote lead investigator Caroline Fitzpatrick, PhD, associated with the Department of Preschool and Elementary School Education at Université de Sherbrooke in Québec, Canada. “The use of mobile devices has been linked to child emotional dysregulation. However, few studies have been able to show a clear direction of association between child tablet use and the development of self-regulation skills.”

To determine the impact table use has on expressions of anger and frustration in early childhood, as well as the extent to which associations are bidirectional, investigators conducted a prospective, community-based study of 315 parents of preschool-aged children from Nova Scotia, Canada. Parents were asked about their child’s table use—using the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire—at the ages of 3.5 (2020), 4.5 (2021) and 5.5 (2022) and analyses were performed between October and December 2023.

A total of 171 (54%) parents had boy children and 114 (46%) had girls. The majority (91%) were Canadian and 82% were married.

According to a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model, an increase in tablet use at 3.5 years—defined as 1.15 hours per day—was linked to a 22% increase in anger and frustration at 4.5 years. Further, an increase in anger and frustration at 4.5 years was associated with a 22% increase (0.28 hours per day) increase in table use at 5.5 years.

The convenience sample was mentioned as a limitation of the study and investigators encourage future research to include larger, more representative samples. Additionally, the study was conducted during the pandemic, which was a unique sociohistorical period. There is also the possibility of shared measurement bias as the tablet use was reported by parents and the quality of content could not be determined.

However, the longitudinal research design coupled with repeated measures of use and the development of emotional regulation skills strengthened the study. This helped investigators determine any bidirectional associations and model change at the intraindividual level.

“Child ability to effectively downregulate anger and frustration eventually play an important role in the ability to delay gratification and successfully meet the demands of early schooling and future health,” investigators concluded. “Screen use in general and mobile device use in particular are increasingly present in the lives of young children. Our study suggests that parents be sensitized that tablet use in early childhood can disrupt the ability to manage anger and frustration and lead to increased outbursts in young children.”