Radesky Jenny S, Eisenberg Staci, Kistin Caroline J, Gross Jamie, Block Gabrielle, Zuckerman Barry, Silverstein Michael
Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Division of Medicine-Pediatrics, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.
Ann Fam Med. 2016 Nov;14(6):503-508. doi: 10.1370/afm.1976.
Mobile technology is ubiquitous, but its impact on family life has not been thoroughly addressed in the scientific literature or in clinical practice guidelines. We aimed to understand parents' views regarding mobile technology use by young children, aged 0 to 8 years, including perceived benefits, concerns, and effects on family interactions, with the goal of informing pediatric guidelines.
We conducted 35 in-depth, semistructured group and individual interviews with English-speaking caregivers of diverse ethnic backgrounds, educational levels, and employment statuses. After thematic saturation, results were validated through expert triangulation and member checking.
Participants included 22 mothers, 9 fathers, and 4 grandmothers; 31.4% were single parents, 42.9% were of nonwhite race or ethnicity, and 40.0% completed high school or less. Participants consistently expressed a high degree of tension regarding their child's mobile technology use, from which several themes emerged: (1) effects on the child-fear of missing out on educational benefits vs concerns about negative effects on thinking and imagination; (2) locus of control-wanting to use digital devices in beneficial ways vs feeling that rapidly evolving technologies are beyond their control (a tension more common in low-income caregivers); and (3) family stress-the necessity of device use in stressed families (eg, to control a child's behavior or as an inexpensive learning/entertainment tool) vs its displacement of family time.
Caregivers of young children describe many novel concepts regarding use of mobile technology, raising issues not addressed by current anticipatory guidance. Guidance may be more effectively implemented if it takes into account parents' uncertainties, locus of control, and functional uses of mobile devices in families.
移动技术无处不在，但其对家庭生活的影响在科学文献或临床实践指南中尚未得到充分探讨。我们旨在了解家长对0至8岁幼儿使用移动技术的看法，包括感知到的益处、担忧以及对家庭互动的影响，以便为儿科指南提供参考。
我们对不同种族背景、教育水平和就业状况的英语 caregiver 进行了35次深入的半结构化小组和个人访谈。在主题饱和后，通过专家三角验证和成员核对来验证结果。
参与者包括22名母亲、9名父亲和4名祖母；31.4%为单亲家长，42.9%为非白人种族或族裔，40.0%完成高中或以下学历。参与者一致表示，他们对孩子使用移动技术高度紧张，由此出现了几个主题：（1）对孩子的影响——担心错过教育益处与担心对思维和想象力产生负面影响；（2）控制权——希望以有益的方式使用数字设备与感觉快速发展的技术超出了他们的控制（这种紧张在低收入 caregiver 中更为常见）；（3）家庭压力——在压力大的家庭中使用设备的必要性（例如，控制孩子的行为或作为廉价的学习/娱乐工具）与它对家庭时间的占用。
幼儿的 caregiver 描述了许多关于移动技术使用的新颖概念，提出了当前预期指导未涉及的问题。如果考虑到家长的不确定性、控制权以及移动设备在家庭中的功能用途，指导可能会更有效地实施。
