Greater Tablet Use at 3.5 Years Tied to More Anger, Frustration at 4.5 years

THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Early-childhood tablet use may contribute to a cycle that is deleterious for emotional regulation, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Caroline Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., from the Université de Sherbrooke in Québec, Canada, and colleagues estimated how child tablet use contributes to expressions of anger and frustration across the ages of 3.5 to 5.5 years. The analysis included data provided by 315 parents of preschool-aged children.

The researchers found that a 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in tablet use at 3.5 years (1.15 hours per day) was associated with a 22 percent increase in anger/frustration at age 4.5 years. A 1 SD scale increase in anger and frustration at 4.5 years was associated with a 22 percent SD (0.28 hours per day) increase in tablet use at 5.5 years.

“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. Screen use in general and mobile device use in particular are increasingly present in the lives of young children,” the authors write. “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.”

One author disclosed financial ties to Abbott and Libbs.

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