A new study conducted by scientists from Hungary and Canada shows that using digital devices to calm children during emotional outbursts may have negative consequences in the long term, reports naukatv.ru.
Children who are regularly offered gadgets to cope with tantrums subsequently have greater difficulty managing anger and frustration, according to findings published in the journal Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Professor Caroline Fitzpatrick from the University of Sherbrooke notes that while digital distraction is effective in the short term, it prevents children from developing important emotional regulation skills.
During the study, 300 parents of preschool children filled out questionnaires about the use of media content during the year. The results showed that frequent use of “digital emotion regulation” led to a deterioration in children's ability to cope with negative emotions.
Dr Veronica Konok from Eötvös Loránd University emphasizes the importance of children learning to manage their emotions on their own, with the support of their parents, rather than through the use of electronic devices.
The researchers also found that the more often a child threw tantrums, the more likely parents were to resort to using gadgets, which only made the problem worse.
Psychologists recommend that parents not avoid potentially upsetting situations, but help children learn to recognize and cope with their emotions.
