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About this paper symposium
| Panel information |
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| Panel 24. Technology, Media & Child Development |
| Paper #1 | |
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| Bidirectional associations among parent and child regulatory media use and emotion regulation across time | |
| Author information | Role |
| Dr. Margaret L. Kerr, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Presenting author |
| Heather Kirkorian, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Rachel Barr, Georgetown University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Bolim Suh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Little research has considered motivations for media use by all family members. Bidirectional associations between parents’ use of mobile devices to regulate their children’s emotions and worse child socio-emotional skills have been reported cross-sectionally (Coyne et al., 2023; Radesky et al., 2016) and longitudinally (Radesky et al., 2023). Overall, there has been less focus on parent’s motivations for their own media use, but recent reports indicate that parents use media to regulate their own emotions (Suh et al., 2023). This study examined whether media use to regulate parents’ or children’s emotions was associated with emotion regulation during parenting and infant emotion regulation across time. In our preregistered OSF study based on prior findings, we predicted that higher regulatory media use for infants would be associated with poorer infant emotion regulation 6 months later. Due to a lack of prior research, we did not have directional hypotheses regarding parents’ own emotion regulation and parent-reported regulatory media use for parents and infants. Procedure 497 parents of 1- to 2-year-old infants completed a survey packet at two time points separated by 6 months. Media motivations for parents and children (Suh et al., 2024) asked about the frequency (0-10 scale) of using media to regulate parents’ own emotions (e.g., “To calm down in the moment, so that I don’t yell at my kids or overreact to them”) and their child’s emotions and behaviors (e.g., “To calm (your) child down when they are upset (crying, yelling, showing big emotions)”). To measure parent emotion regulation during parenting we used the 10-item adaptive strategies subscale of the Regulating Emotions in Parenting Scale (REPS; Rodriguez, & Shaffer, 2021) which includes items such as, “I pay attention to my emotions when I’m with my child”. To measure infant emotion regulation, parents completed the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA; Briggs-Gowan et al. 2006) and we calculated the total problem scale. Results and Discussion Data collection for wave 2 is ongoing (85% complete). We conducted a preliminary cross lagged panel model to examine the bidirectional associations between media motivations and emotion regulation from two waves of data six months apart (see Figure 1). The model showed excellent fit (RMSEA = 0.00). Higher reports of parents’ adaptive emotion regulation strategies at T1 predicted less parents’, β=-0.25, and children’s, β=-0.17, regulatory media use at T2, but neither parents’ nor children’s media use predicted parents’ emotion regulation at T2. Parents’ emotion regulation at T1 also predicted lower BITSEA problem scores at T2, β=-0.21. As predicted, more children’s regulatory media use at T1 predicted higher BITSEA problem scores at T2, β=0.10. Unexpectedly, however, higher BITSEA at T1 was associated with less children’s regulatory media use at T2, β=-0.13. Overall, we show that parents’ media motivations and emotion regulatory abilities are key predictors of both children’s media regulatory use and emotion regulation skills. Parents’ own emotion-regulation strategies may be a modifiable target of intervention studies aimed at supporting healthier child media use patterns. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| Parent regulatory use of media: Contributions of parent executive functioning, stress, and depression | |
| Author information | Role |
| Jenny Radesky, University of Michigan, United States | Presenting author |
| Heidi Weeks, University of Michigan, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Alexandria Schaller, University of Michigan, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Bolim Suh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Heather Kirkorian, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Rachel Barr, Georgetown University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Sarah Coyne, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Alison Miller, University of Michigan, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background: Parent use of media can interrupt parent-child interactions important to child language and social-emotional development (Mackay et al., 2022). Parents use media for their own emotion regulation in different ways including relieving negative emotions, taking a break from childrearing stress, or purposely engaging in calming activities (Torres et al., 2021). This study aims to test the DREAMER (Dynamic, Relational, Ecological Approach to Media Effects Research) Model by testing associations between parent executive functioning [EF] and structural sources of stress (e.g.,depression and stress) as possible drivers of parental media use. Methods: 264 parents (92% female, average age 34.7 years, 74.8% white/non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, and 53.6% had more than a college degree) of 24–26-month-old from the baseline wave of a cohort study participated. They completed surveys (demographics including household income and childcare access; Parental Stress Scale [PSS]; Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]) and a lab-based NIH Toolbox test of EF (Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test, Dimensional Change Card Sort Test, List Sorting Working Memory Test; averaged to total EF score). Parents self-reported use of media for emotion regulation (5-point Likert): to calm down in the moment so they don’t yell; when household members are stressing them out; take a break when child is being difficult; or relieve loneliness (mean 1.34 [SD 0.86], alpha = 0.81). Use of media to relax alone included: media use out of habit; to “check out” when the day has been overwhelming; to relax/unwind; reduce boredom; and entertain themselves (mean 2.62 [SD 0.66], alpha = 0.70). We built regression models examining independent parent, and structural predictors of parent use of media to regulate emotions or relax alone. Results: In multivariable analyses, parent use of media to regulate emotions was independently associated with weaker parent EF (NIH Toolbox Score 1-point increase: β = -0.01 (95% CI: -0.019, -0.004), p = 0.0042), higher stress (PSS 1-point increase: β = 0.029 (0.017. 0.042), p < .0001), and higher depression symptoms (CES-D β = 0.034 (0.02, 0.048), p < .0001). Use of media to relax alone was associated with younger parent age (per year: β = -0.02 (-0.038, -0.004), p = 0.013), higher stress (PSS: β = 0.011 (0.0004. 0.022), p < .0415), and higher depression symptoms (CES-D: β = 0.013 (0.0015, 0.025), p < .013). Conclusions: Parents’ use of media to regulate emotions may not only be driven by stress and mood, but also by individual differences in EF that influence a parent’s cognitive and emotional control. Using media to relax alone was more common than use for emotion regulation, and driven by stress, depressed mood, and younger parent age. As highlighted by the recent Surgeon General Advisory, modern parents are under high stress. Research is needed to better understand drivers of parents’ media use in response to stressors, and associations with parent and child functioning. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Stressed Out and On Screens: Associations between parent stress, technoference, and childhood problematic media use | |
| Author information | Role |
| Sarah M. Coyne, Ph.D., Brigham Young University, United States | Presenting author |
| Adam A. Rogers, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Cara Swit, Canterbury University, New Zealand | Non-presenting author |
| Cambria Siddoway, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Megan Van Alfen, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Talise Hirschi, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Hailey Holmgren, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Blake Jones, Brigham Young University, United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Just as parents may turn to media to cope with stress, children may follow this pattern and turn to media when stressed (Gentile et al., 2017). Children of stressed parents are more likely to spend more time on screens (McDaniel & Radesky, 2020; Shin et al., 2021), and these behaviors and extra time on screens may lead to the development of child problematic media use (PMU), or excessive use of media that impedes with healthy functioning in day-to-day life (Domoff et al., 2020). Though research is beginning to examine PMU in early childhood, little is known about the antecedents, with research just beginning to examine stress as a predictor. Though a few studies have examined parental stress and media related behaviors (e.g., Swit et al., 2023), no research to our knowledge has examined associations between child stress and PMU and how these are impacted by parental stress and technoference. The current study examined longitudinal predictors of PMU in early childhood, with a focus on parental and child stress and parental technoference to deal with stress. Method Participants included 244 child-parent dyads (M age at wave 1 = 65.53 months SD = 3.25 months; 52% male; 63% White; 5.7% Black, 11.9% Hispanic, .4% Asian, 2.2% Native American, 16.7% Biracial) and a primary caregiver. The final sample for this paper included these 244 child-parent dyads (M age at wave 6 = 65.53 months SD = 3.25 months, M age at wave 7 = 77.25 months, SD = 3.24 months). Primary caregivers completed measures on parenting stress, technoference to deal with stress, and their child’s PMU. These were completed at two time points approximately one year apart. Additionally, child stress was measured using cortisol levels from hair samples. Results and Implications A longitudinal path model in Mplus (version 8.10) was conducted to model parental stress as a predictor of child PMU, with both technoference to cope with stress and child stress as mediators. Child sex, race, and parental income were all used as covariates in the model. The final model showed adequate fit, χ 2 (10) = 14.61, p = .15, CFI = .988, TLI = .959, RMSEA = .043. See Figure 1 for a reduced model. Parental stress was associated with later child PMU, as mediated by technoference to deal with stress, β = .087, 95% CI [.05, .14], p < .001. Child stress was not related to PMU, β = .001, 95% CI [-.175, .003], p = .997. Specifically, higher levels of parental stress predicted higher levels of technoference to deal with that stress which then predicted higher levels of child PMU one year later. Overall, this study found that parental stress was associated with higher levels of child problematic media use, as mediated by parental technoference to deal with stress. Reducing parenting stress and providing other coping mechanisms to deal with stress beyond technology may be helpful in reducing child PMU over time. |
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Parents’ media use matters: Links to child regulation, problematic media use and parental executive functioning.
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Parents’ media use matters: Links to child regulation, problematic media use and parental executive functioning. |