The use of electronic devices among children is on the rise.
Research has shown that increased electronic device usage in early childhood is linked to higher levels of anger and frustration. This finding is significant for parents who are raising young children.
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Dr. Caroline Fitzpatrick and her team from the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec published their findings in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics today. The study researched the relationship between tablet use and expressions of anger and frustration among preschoolers. The samples were taken from 315 parents over three years.
The research team noted that their findings indicate a positive association between tablet use and age in adolescents. Then, it became a cycle that encouraged longer tablet use.
They emphasized that controlling emotions is crucial for school performance and future outcomes. The researchers urged parents to pay close attention to tablet use during early childhood as it could hinder their children’s ability to manage anger and frustration, potentially leading to more outbursts.
In the study, the team analyzed data from 315 parents of 171 boys and 144 girls aged 3.5 to 5.5 years living in Nova Scotia. They collected information on children’s tablet usage and expressions of anger and frustration from 2020 to 2022.
The study found that the average weekly tablet usage was 6.5 hours at age 3.5, 6.7 hours at age 4.5, and 7.0 hours at age 5.5.
Researchers also found that children who used tablets for an additional 1.15 hours a day at age 3.5 showed a 22% increase in expressions of anger and frustration by age 4.5.
Furthermore, the study revealed that children who frequently expressed anger and frustration at age 4.5 are likelier to increase their tablet usage by an average of 0.28 hours a day by age 5.5.
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