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Parental Perception of Infants' Use of Mobile Devices: A Qualitative Exploration

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Title: Parental Perception of Infants' Use of Mobile Devices: A Qualitative Exploration
Language: English
Authors: Omama Khalid (ORCID 0000-0002-5293-2577), Azher Hameed Qamar
Source: Child Care in Practice. 2025 31(4):527-542.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Parent Attitudes, Infants, Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Behavior Problems, Emotional Problems, Interpersonal Relationship, Cognitive Processes, Affordances, Barriers, Attitude Change, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Pakistan
DOI: 10.1080/13575279.2024.2376581
ISSN: 1357-5279
1476-489X
Abstract: Despite the clear restrictive guidelines about the use of modern handheld devices among children younger than 2 years, parents are seen to extensively use these devices with their infants. However, parents' perceptions in this regard remain unclear and underexplored especially, in the context of South Asian cultures such as Pakistan. This qualitative study aims to explore parents' perceptions regarding their infants' use of mobile devices. Using the purposive sampling technique, 10 couples (i.e. 20 parents) from Pakistan were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Parents with at least two children including one infant (0-2 years) were included. Single parents and parents of children with special needs were excluded. Findings revealed parents hold mixed opinions regarding the use of mobile devices. Parents expressed negative outcomes of the use of mobile devices, which were categorized into internalizing problems, emotional problems, social interaction problems, and issues in cognitive processing. They also shared positive perceptions, categorized as learning outcomes, and increased cognitive abilities. Based on their first-time parenting experiences, parents expressed both negative and positive outcomes of the use of MDs with infants. A shift in perception was observed based on their first-time parenting experiences. With increased parenting demands, participants shared constant challenges in limiting the screen time of infants, leading to experiencing negative emotions among parents i.e. guilt and worry. This study can be useful among clinicians to consider the effects of the use of mobile devices while making a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. It can also be useful in promoting learning among infants in daycare/childcare centers, in developing parenting manuals, and in developing screen time policies or guidelines.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487950
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0188645283;j2301oct.25;2025Oct16.01:22;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0188645283-1">Parental Perception of Infants' use of Mobile Devices: A Qualitative Exploration </title> <p>Despite the clear restrictive guidelines about the use of modern handheld devices among children younger than 2 years, parents are seen to extensively use these devices with their infants. However, parents' perceptions in this regard remain unclear and underexplored especially, in the context of South Asian cultures such as Pakistan. This qualitative study aims to explore parents' perceptions regarding their infants' use of mobile devices. Using the purposive sampling technique, 10 couples (i.e. 20 parents) from Pakistan were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Parents with at least two children including one infant (0–2 years) were included. Single parents and parents of children with special needs were excluded. Findings revealed parents hold mixed opinions regarding the use of mobile devices. Parents expressed negative outcomes of the use of mobile devices, which were categorized into internalizing problems, emotional problems, social interaction problems, and issues in cognitive processing. They also shared positive perceptions, categorized as learning outcomes, and increased cognitive abilities. Based on their first-time parenting experiences, parents expressed both negative and positive outcomes of the use of MDs with infants. A shift in perception was observed based on their first-time parenting experiences. With increased parenting demands, participants shared constant challenges in limiting the screen time of infants, leading to experiencing negative emotions among parents i.e. guilt and worry. This study can be useful among clinicians to consider the effects of the use of mobile devices while making a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. It can also be useful in promoting learning among infants in daycare/childcare centers, in developing parenting manuals, and in developing screen time policies or guidelines.</p> <p>Keywords: Parental perception; infant development; mobile devices; preschool; screen time</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Over the past few decades, the technological revolution contributed to the widespread provision of handheld (mobile) devices that have become a basic need in everyday life. With multiple features and in-built facilities (audio, video, communication, etc.), smartphones are equipped with applications that provide entertainment, knowledge and access to resources that provide such facilities (Reid Chassiakos et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref1">42</reflink>]). These revolutionary features have increased the need for mobile devices (MDs) in every household. This has led to smartphones becoming a primary choice for screen viewing (SV) among children, replacing traditional television (TV) (Miner, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref2">34</reflink>]). Children born in this era of technology are referred to as "Digitods"; children born with ready and easy access to technology around them (Leathers et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref3">26</reflink>]). These children enjoy the latest version of technology offering various mobile applications specifically focused on toddlers and infants serving both educational and entertainment purposes. Increased interest of younger children in MDs has led renowned brands in the world of children's entertainment to focus on application development e.g. Baby Games: RMB Knowledge Park, Baby Games for One Year Old's, First Words for Babies, etc.</p> <p>The simple interface of smartphones has made it easier to use for every age group, from older adults to children as young as infants, leading to increased use of MDs among a diverse population (Goh et al., [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref4">17</reflink>]; Reid Chassiakos et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref5">42</reflink>]). In developed countries like the USA, 52% of children aged 0–8 years have access to MDs. This access has increased to 75% by 2013 (Reid Chassiakos et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref6">42</reflink>]). Mobile device usage has also increased three times from 2011 to 2013 among children younger than 2 years of age (Media & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref7">33</reflink>]). Low-income and minority communities also show a similar pattern of use of MDs among children younger than 4 years of age (Kabali et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref8">23</reflink>]). Even with the prevalent poverty rate and low affordability, people tend to own MDs as a basic need (Stryjak & James, [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref9">45</reflink>]). This ease in access and availability has resulted in an alarming increased burden of SV varying from 21% to 98% in lower-middle-income countries, adversely affecting the mental and physical wellbeing of children (Ahmed et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref10">1</reflink>]; Kaur et al., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref11">25</reflink>]).</p> <p>Mobile devices becoming an essential part of daily routine raises concerns about the potential factors involved in the adoption and use of these devices. There is currently limited research on the use of MDs among early childhood aged 0–5 years. Literature on the use of MDs among infants uses quantitative method. A limited number of qualitative studies have specifically focused on infants 0–2 years of age (Bar Lev et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref12">6</reflink>]; Hesketh et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref13">19</reflink>]). The qualitative method allows an in-depth exploration of beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes that may not be captured by using quantitative methodology (Grbich, [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref14">18</reflink>]). This limitation in method leads to a lack of understanding of the process behind this excessive use of MDs among infants. This study aims to fill this gap by using a qualitative approach to explore an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. To contextualize the current study, main themes from earlier research are highlighted in association with various perspectives.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-3">Developmental perspective on use of mobile devices during early years</hd> <p>Accumulating evidence suggests that the use of MDs during early years (0–4 years) impacts a child's development both positively and negatively across various domains. The use of touch screen iPads is seen to improve fine motor skills among children of young ages (Clarke & Abbott, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref15">14</reflink>]), simultaneously stimulating multiple senses like auditory, visual and tactile (Roskos et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref16">43</reflink>]). Parents prefer using modern MDs to TV because of the interactive nature and receptive interface, ultimately enhancing children's operational skills (Ochoa, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref17">37</reflink>]). However, mixed results are seen regarding exposure to screen devices and fundamental motor skills. Excessive exposure to screen media among children is also associated with poorly developed motor skills of the child with remediation of such motor delays becoming difficult later in life (Webster et al., [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref18">49</reflink>]). Increasing screen dependency among young children retards communication, delays cognitive development, and other developmental milestones (McHarg et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref19">32</reflink>]). Perhaps, certain types of screen activities i.e. passive viewing of MDs might have a more detrimental effect on motor skills development of children as compared to active use of these devices which involve the use of fingers and hands.</p> <p>High exposure to screen devices among children younger than 5 years show a strong association with language delays, problems in the acquisition of language, attentional problems, and poor executive functioning (Lissak, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref20">29</reflink>]; Slobodin et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref21">44</reflink>]; Tremblay et al., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref22">46</reflink>]). Furthermore, high TV exposure serves as an environmental trigger for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in infants who are genetically and otherwise vulnerable to developing ASD (Waldman et al., [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref23">48</reflink>]). Despite that, the literature suggests positive outcomes of the use of these devices among younger children, establishing parental guides with media-based parenting strategies to improve infant educational learning (Leathers et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref24">26</reflink>]). MDs also enhance early literacy skills including letter and number recognition (Crescenzi et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref25">15</reflink>]; Neumann, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref26">35</reflink>]). These devices have the potential to involve younger children cognitively, socially, emotionally, and culturally, ultimately fostering their early development (Yamada-Rice et al., [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref27">50</reflink>]).</p> <p>Excessive SV among children correlates positively with low vision, poor body posture, neck strains, and reduced bone density at later stages of child development (Hesketh et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref28">19</reflink>]; Lissak, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref29">29</reflink>]). Parents view the use of MDs as disrupting parent–child interaction and promoting social isolation in children (Ochoa, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref30">37</reflink>]). It is important to note that parents serve as models for infants, whereby infants learn to practice these behaviors in their daily routine (Bar Lev et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref31">6</reflink>]; Hesketh et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref32">19</reflink>]). This suggests that infants of the parents who use MDs more often are more likely to use MDs at an early age. Parents also influence these behaviors by exercising social rules, practices, and the availability of outdoor facilities.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-4">Children media behavior guidelines and its implications</hd> <p>Keeping in view the increasing prevalence of MD use among infants, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no independent media use for children below 2 years of age (Hill et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref33">20</reflink>]). This report clearly sets out "no beneficial outcomes" of independent media exposure to infants from 0 to 2 years of age. Other high-income countries like Canada, UK, and Australia have also updated screen guidelines for children as young as infants. These guidelines highlight no screen exposure for infants while suggesting an optimal level of physical activity for infants (Department of Health and Aged Care, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref34">16</reflink>]). Yet studies on infants remain limited and overlooked. Presumably, this is because the parents believe children to be naturally active and find no need for further encouraging them in physical activities (Hesketh et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref35">19</reflink>]). It is important to note here that no such guidelines have been developed by low-and-middle-income countries, perhaps because of a lack of focus in this area.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-5">Parental perspective on use of mobile devices</hd> <p>Parents show low awareness of pediatrics guidelines like the Canadian Sedentary Behavior Guidelines (Brown & Smolenaers, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref36">10</reflink>]). Parents who are aware of these guidelines still seem to use MDs with their infants (Carson et al., [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref37">11</reflink>]). This is because parents believe these guidelines to be nonpractical and unrealistic (Brown & Smolenaers, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref38">10</reflink>]). This inconsistency between having the knowledge and still exercising media-related practices leads to cognitive dissonance among parents. Cognitive dissonance is also observed in parents whose parenting practices are affected by their own MD use e.g. parental disengagement (Johnson & Hertlein, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref39">22</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-6">Aims and objectives</hd> <p>Screen viewing habits are developed early in childhood and are influenced by the screen-related behaviors and habits of parents and siblings (Certain & Kahn, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref40">12</reflink>]). In this regard, the home is considered as the primary and key-learning site where parents exert great influence on children's activities by acting as gatekeepers for the technology use at home (Plowman et al., [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref41">40</reflink>]). Thus, to set up healthy activity patterns for children during their early years, it is important to study parents' perceptions regarding the use of MDs. Screen time research has traditionally focused on the impact of TV on children (Linebarger & Walker, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref42">28</reflink>]). Since TV is a passive experience and the results from these studies may not apply to highly interactive media technology such as smartphones, the uniqueness of MD use needs to be considered. This study addresses the methodological gap discussed above, by choosing the qualitative method for data collection and analysis. Therefore, the current study aims to explore parental perception regarding the use of MDs among infants (0–2 years).</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-7">Method</hd> <p>This study aims to explore parents' perceptions about infants' use of MDs using qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-8">Population and sampling</hd> <p>Two inclusion criteria were observed while selecting the participants; first, the families having a technologically rich environment at home where infants have easy access to several MDs (e.g. smartphones, iPads, Tablets, etc.). It is to ensure that it is the parental strategy and not the lack of accessibility to MDs that is inhibiting the infant from interacting with these devices. Second, the parents must have one child in infancy (0–2 years) and one elder child. This is to consider the role of older children in developing the parents' perception regarding infants' use of MDs. Additionally, it is intended to explore whether parents' perception toward the use of MDs changed after their second child.</p> <p>Twenty parents (10 couples) were purposefully recruited. Considering the specificity of the sample, the aim and scope of the study, and analysis strategy, a sample of 20 participants was deemed sufficient, as guided by the concept of information power (Malterud et al., [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref43">31</reflink>]). It is important to note here that the majority of the mothers were housewives. In traditional South Asian cultures, typically mothers tend to opt for the role of stay-at-home figures (Niaz & Hassan, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref44">36</reflink>]). This can be a distinguishing factor between South Asian and Western cultures. Participant demographics are shown in Table 1.</p> <p>Table 1. Participant characteristics.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td>Characteristics</td><td /><td>Total Families (<italic>n</italic> = 10)</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Infant</td><td>Age in months</td><td char="(">9.15 (5.44)</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Infant sex</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Male</td><td char=".">60%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Female</td><td char=".">40%</td></tr><tr><td /><td>No. of Elder Siblings</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> One</td><td char=".">60%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Two</td><td char=".">40%</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Primary Care giver</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Mother</td><td char=".">80%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Both Parents</td><td char=".">20%</td></tr><tr><td>Environmental</td><td>No. of mobile devices</td><td char="(">6 (3)</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Family System</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Nuclear</td><td char=".">60%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Joint</td><td char=".">40%</td></tr><tr><td>Mothers</td><td>Age in Years</td><td char="(">32.1 (3)</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Education—No. of years</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Bachelors</td><td char=".">90%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Master/PhD</td><td char=".">10%</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Profession</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Stay-at-home</td><td char=".">80%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Employed</td><td char=".">20%</td></tr><tr><td>Fathers</td><td>Age in Years</td><td char="(">34 (3)</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Education</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Higher School</td><td char=".">10%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Bachelors</td><td char=".">80%</td></tr><tr><td /><td> Master/PhD</td><td char=".">10%</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Profession</td><td /></tr><tr><td /><td> Employed</td><td char=".">100%</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 Data presented as Mean (standard deviation) for continuous variables and as percentage for other variables.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-9">Procedure</hd> <p>One-to-one interviews were conducted with the parents. The research information sheet (including purpose of the research and rights of the participants) was shared with the participants during pre-interview meetings. A semi-structured interview guide (IG) was developed to gain insight into parents' perceptions of MD usage among infants. The initial draft of the IG was based on a literature review. The draft was cross-checked by an independent qualitative researcher to augment the validity of the IG. With the revised IG, a pilot interview was conducted, and changes were made accordingly, giving the final version of the IG. The IG consisted of open-ended questions that provided participants with the space to share their experiences expressively and openly. Necessary probes and follow-up questions were added to gain further clarity on the information provided. All the interviews were audio-recorded with the participant's consent and were transcribed later.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-10">Data analysis</hd> <p>Following the thematic analysis suggested by Braun and Clarke ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref45">8</reflink>]), a step-by-step data analysis was conducted. These steps included data familiarization, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, and defining & naming themes (Table 2). The process of analysis was repeated for each interview. Subthemes emerged using the process of coding. The coherent organization of themes was reviewed to ensure the intactness of the meaning of codes.</p> <p>Table 2. Steps in data analysis.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><td>Steps</td><td>Description</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Data Familiarization</td><td>Familiarity with the content of data. Transcribing the recorded interviews.</td></tr><tr><td>Generating Initial Codes</td><td>Generating codes for the transcribed data by assigning small codes to meaningful statements in the data.</td></tr><tr><td>Searching Themes</td><td>Searching for possible themes in the data to see codes combining to form an overarching theme.</td></tr><tr><td>Reviewing Themes</td><td>Reviewing themes against their relevant group of code to ensure relevancy with the data and that no meaning was lost.</td></tr><tr><td>Defining & Naming Theme</td><td>Defining themes in an explanatory way to ensure that the themes cover the relevant and meaningful pieces of data.</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0188645283-11">Analysis rigor</hd> <p>The dependability of the study was addressed to enhance the rigor of the analysis. An independent qualitative researcher coded two interviews. The generated codes were compared with the already produced codes to enhance the validity of analysis by conducting a code-recode strategy (Anfara et al., [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref46">3</reflink>]). Significant statements were revisited i.e. going backward from themes to subthemes to significant statements. This ensured that the resulting themes corresponded with the true meaning of the verbatims.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-12">Ethical considerations</hd> <p>This study received approval from the Research Review Committee of the concerned Department. The study followed the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical guidelines for research (APA, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref47">4</reflink>]). All the participants provided written informed consent to confirm their voluntary participation. No incentive was offered to the participants. To ensure confidentiality, all the names were replaced with pseudonyms.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-13">Findings</hd> <p>Findings revealed that parents hold mixed opinions about the use of MDs with infants, which are mainly categorized as negative and positive impacts. These categories along with the themes and subthemes are presented in two main headings i.e. negative impacts, and positive impacts (Tables 3 and 4).</p> <p>Table 3. Negative impacts and corresponding themes and sub-themes.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Negative Impacts</td><td>Themes</td><td>Sub-Themes</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td /><td>Behavioral Problems</td><td>Increased irritability</td></tr><tr><td>Withdrawn Behavior</td></tr><tr><td>Poor Eye Contact</td></tr><tr><td>Frequent crying</td></tr><tr><td>Tantrums</td></tr><tr><td>Screen addiction</td></tr><tr><td>Emotional difficulties</td><td>Frequent crying</td></tr><tr><td /><td>Aggression</td></tr><tr><td>Poor temperament</td></tr><tr><td>Tantrums</td></tr><tr><td>Social difficulties</td><td>Loss of social interactions</td></tr><tr><td>Withdrawn Behavior</td></tr><tr><td>Poor Emotion Regulation</td></tr><tr><td>Issues in Cognitive Functioning</td><td>Language Delays</td></tr><tr><td>Reduced Attention Span</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Table 4. Positive Impacts and Corresponding Themes and Sub-Themes.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Positive Impacts</td><td>Themes</td><td>Sub-Themes</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td /><td>Learning Exposure</td><td>Educational Learning</td></tr><tr><td>Increased Cognitive Ability</td><td>Fostering Imagination</td></tr><tr><td>Pretend plays</td></tr><tr><td>Increased creativity</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0188645283-14">Negative impacts</hd> <p>The most discussed negative impact of the use of MDs was "screen addiction". Based on the parenting experience with the older child, parents believed that infants got accustomed (addicted) to using MDs. While this addiction was built in infancy, it appeared to strengthen as the infant grew in age. Overall, this addiction was viewed in association with the infant's feeding habits. For example, parents lamented:</p> <p>At 10 months during weaning, I struggled to get him to eat. To help with it, I played videos on my phone ... Now, at 2.5 years old, he still requires mobile to eat. (Mother)</p> <p>I use toys to distract my child during feeding. To encourage him to eat independently, I play videos on my mobile and place it on the table in front of him, allowing him to eat without my help. (Mother)</p> <p>Both parents shared this concern. Interestingly, fathers seemed to hold the mothers responsible for infant SV habits.</p> <p>I do not give phone to my kids. I am against it. I ask my wife to not give the phone in child's hands, always keep it in your hand and then show it to the kid. But she gave it anyway. (Father)</p> <p>Generally, fathers did not take responsibility for infants' SV habits and warranted them with their additional work demands.</p> <p>Due to my busy work schedule, I cannot supervise my child constantly. While I try not to give her the phone when she's with me, I cannot control her time with her mother and grandmother. (Father)</p> <p>The role of additional work demands was also observed among working mothers. However, mothers seemed to take full responsibility for their "defective" parenting. For workingwomen, the reason for SV among infants was to benefit themselves i.e. while taking rest or accomplishing their daily chores.</p> <p>I used to do job at the time of my first child. I came back home at around 6 in the evening. Since I needed rest after coming back, I would give my phone to her. (Mother)</p> <p>... I had to do cleaning and cooking all by myself. I had no maid for help. So, I used to give her Tablet while I finished my kitchen chores. She stayed engaged without making any mess while I finished my chores. (Mother)</p> <p>It is important to note a shift in parents' perception about the use of MDs with infants. This change in perception was due to the perceived negative outcomes of their mobile-driven parenting practices with their older children. All the participants actively associated negative outcomes in their older children with excessive exposure to MDs. Thus, had a shift in their perception, ultimately altering their parenting strategies with their newborn infants.</p> <p>... My mother would distract her with the mobile. However, I have decided not to do the same with my second child, hoping that they will not develop the same temperament as my older child. (Mother)</p> <p>We learned from experience with our older child and now try not to give our infant the mobile to avoid addiction. Our older child became addicted to videos after being exposed to them at 1.5 years of age. He became irritable and aggressive. We do not want the same for our younger child. (Mother)</p> <p>This change in perception was seen in both parents. Parents believed their older children to be "difficult" and thus needed distraction strategies like the use of MDs. As one parent noted:</p> <p>I have personal tasks to attend to. My eldest child had an early interest in phones, even liking cartoons at 7 months. I gave her a phone while feeding, and it eventually became necessary for feeding. With the second child, my spouse and I decided not to repeat the mistake of spoiling our first child. (Mother)</p> <p>In contrast, parents believed their second child was more "easy-going" and thus they did not find the need to use MDs with them. However, this easy temperament could also be because of changed parenting strategies (in the form of limited exposure to MDs) and a companion to play with in the form of an elder sibling. Thus, it is difficult to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between use of MDs and difficult temperament.</p> <p>No phone for my infant. He doesn't fuss like my older daughter, and even enjoys watching TV commercials. I don't give him the mobile on purpose. (Mother)</p> <p>Parents monitored infants' exposure to MDs and its correlation with negative emotional outcomes in older children. They observed that excessive exposure to MDs during early years was associated with these changes. To mitigate these effects, parents introduced more physical activities as alternatives to MDs. This shift resulted in decreased negative emotional and behavioral outcomes in infants, highlighting improved behavior in non-technological environments. As a result, parents attributed these negative outcomes not to typical developmental stages but to the use of MDs. This strengthened their belief that MD use could lead to negative outcomes among infants. One parent expressed:</p> <p>My older child became irritable and aggressive due to screen time, which I discovered after taking her to the doctor. I then increased her physical activity by buying her a tricycle and involving her in outdoor activities. This habit has since been maintained and has led to a 75% reduction in her aggression and irritability. (Mother)</p> <p>Shazia, became addicted to screens in infancy and would show stubbornness if she didn't have mobile. We learned from this and have kept in mind not to repeat the same with our now infant. She eats without issues and has a cool temperament compared to her elder sister. (Mother)</p> <p>These Behavioral problems inform about poor emotion regulation among infants. Based on the experiences with their older children, parents revealed that infants start living in a "fantasy world" and thus lose connection with the real world. Parents attributed this lack of sense of reality to the excessive use of MDs. While narrating their first-time parenting experiences, parents showed concern about their older children showing withdrawn behavior because of unrestricted exposure to MDs.</p> <p>They used to mimic the behavior of the cartoons. Like they used to do exactly what Doremon did. (Father)</p> <p>Regarding the withdrawn behavior, one parent reported:</p> <p>Her tablet use was remarkably high previously. She was the only child then. Even if some children came, she was unable to play with them ... So, she got used to just living by herself. (Father)</p> <p>Few parents expressed extreme concern regarding the cognitive functioning of infants including loss of eye contact, language delays, and reduced attention span.</p> <p>She used to view a video for 5–10 s and then clicked next. She kept doing that. (Father)</p> <p>She did not speak at all until she was 2 years and 9 months old. I was afraid Sana was autistic. She was aggressive and used to shriek loudly. She did not engage with other children. I had a feeling she was also losing eye contact. (Father)</p> <p>Parents also believed this language delay had contributed significantly to infants' social difficulties like lack of social interaction and living in isolation. Overall, parents agreed with the overarching negative outcomes regarding the use of MDs (Figure 1)</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Negative impacts of use of mobile devices.</p> <p>.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-15">Positive impacts</hd> <p>Educational learning was reported commonly by all the participants. COVID-19 crisis contributed to limited exposure to outdoor learning opportunities for children, motivating parents to use MDs as their replacement. One parent reported general positive outcome:</p> <p>The learning aspect of mobile phones is particularly good. Children learn very quickly. Especially this post corona, where we cannot give exposure to our children. Mobile phones can replace that and give exposure to children. (Father)</p> <p>Parents commonly highlighted the importance of independent learning because of the use of MDs by infants. For example, one parent expressed:</p> <p>I do not get much time to teach Zainab, but she learns independently from videos and poems. Yesterday, she showed a picture and yelled "Zebra". Me and my husband were surprised to see her independent learning. (Mother)</p> <p>Parents viewed their older children's learning experiences as independent learning.</p> <p>I remember Eesa used to watch fruits and animals on mobile as an infant. He then tracked them in his books. It was quite easy for him to learn. He picked quickly. Whatever he watched in videos, he would search in his books. (Mother)</p> <p>Parents acknowledged the learning of a second language as a positive outcome. Parents associated early exposure to MDs in infancy with learning a second language independently and quickly.</p> <p>... She is proficient in English and considers Urdu as her second language. She can speak only a few sentences in Urdu. Her early exposure to educational videos enabled her to learn colors, counting, animal sounds, and rhymes at the age of two. When she attended a Nursery interview, she confidently conversed in English and had already mastered everything they asked her. Her self-directed learning was because of MDs. (Father)</p> <p>Parents expressed their views about the infant's enhanced cognitive abilities. This included fostering imagination, pretend plays, and increased creativity. Parents believed that use of MDs and exposure to diverse content helped infants in creating a strong imagination and involving in pretend plays (Figure 2).</p> <p>I remember when my older daughter was this age, she made a camel out of legos. I was so surprised because it also had a hump. And she showed me and yelled "Camel!" (Mother)</p> <p>Graph: Figure 2. Positive impacts of use of mobile devices.</p> <p>Fostering imagination among infants was commonly reported by the parents. They associated these imaginative plays with the exposure to MDs.</p> <p>She used to make seats of the lego blocks and then make her dolls sit on them. And then do a tea party of all her dolls. (Mother)</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-16">Discussion</hd> <p>This study aims to describe parents' perceptions about infants' use of mobile devices (MDs). Understanding parents' perceptions in this regard is important for effectively guiding them in promoting screen-related guidelines and encouraging healthy activities among infants. It is critical to understand this phenomenon as the early media habits and the related problems tend to solidify as the child grows in age (Carson et al., [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref48">11</reflink>]). This approach aims to prevent negative outcomes of the use of MDs among infants. All the participants in the current study acknowledged using MDs with their infants. Participants held persistent mixed opinions about the positive and negative effects of MD use. This is in line with the existing literature showing parental opinions regarding MD use widely ranging from positive to negative views (Mallawaarachchi et al., [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref49">30</reflink>]).</p> <p>Parents believed that early exposure to these devices could lead to adverse outcomes across multiple domains of life, including behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and social outcomes. Those reporting excessive use of MDs with infants were more likely to perceive it as negative, indicating a link between increased MD use among infants and negative parental perception. This negative perception may be influenced by the negative outcomes in children that become more prominent as the child grows in age and experiences greater social and cognitive demands. Early exposure to MDs can result in long-term deficits in multiple areas of life. High screen time is also associated with hyperactivity and reduced attention span in children, which may lead to misdiagnosis of ADHD (Lissak, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref50">29</reflink>]). Furthermore, issues in cognitive processing may be manifested as behaviors resembling autism. Participants reported "autism signs" in their child in response to excessive exposure to MDs during infancy. This finding corresponds with the literature highlighting the increased prevalence of "Virtual Autism" (Bălan, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref51">5</reflink>]). The reported behavioral problems might make the child more vulnerable to disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders later in life (Okado & Bierman, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref52">38</reflink>]). This can be of high concern as conduct disorders may lead to antisocial personality disorder in later years of life (American Psychiatric Association, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref53">2</reflink>]). These early behavioral problems are also associated with negative social, emotional, and academic outcomes (Kaplow et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref54">24</reflink>]).</p> <p>Early years are critical in forming secure attachment styles. These attachment styles provide individuals with "working models" to make sense of the world in a better and healthier way (Bowlby, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref55">7</reflink>]). The use of MDs as a substitute of parental physical presence might disrupt the development of secure attachment patterns. Research has shown "technoference" as impacting parent–child interaction thereby disrupting a child's attachment-related development (Braune-Krickau et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref56">9</reflink>]). This disruption in the development of insecure attachment patterns could lead to long-term difficulties in the personal and social domain of life. However, it is important to note that the parent--infant attachment is largely affected by how the MD is being used in the families (Hood et al., [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref57">21</reflink>]).</p> <p>The findings on positive outcomes correspond with previous literature showing learning outcomes and enhanced cognitive abilities (Leathers et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref58">26</reflink>]; Oliemat et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref59">39</reflink>]). While some literature highlights positive outcomes among infants, Canadian Paediatric Society screen time recommendations specifically report no potential positive outcomes of independent MD use among children younger than 2 years of age (Ponti, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref60">41</reflink>]). These mixed findings in the literature could be because of different ways of using MDs with infants. These modern technology devices provide users with interactive interfaces and thus demand a specific active way of using them. Considering infants' limited motor skills to operate these devices and increased parental demand, findings reveal that most of the parents tend to introduce these devices to infants as passive viewing devices. Passive viewing of these devices is associated with negative outcomes like poor verbal information processing among infants (Veraksa et al., [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref61">47</reflink>]). However, parents who tend to co-view with their infants and allow infants to be involved actively with MDs promote various learning outcomes (Lee, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref62">27</reflink>]). Thus, it is deemed important to educate parents on how to better use mobile devices with infants. In contrast to the literature, parents reported positive outcomes among infants. This could be because of the advanced technology in modern MDs. These devices seem to work on scaffolding principle in the form of popping of distinct colors, sounds of applause on choosing the correct or most relevant answer, thus leading to letter number recognition among infants. The presence of built-in scaffolding features in these devices may be encouraging for parents in promoting further independence and autonomy among children (Neumann, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref63">35</reflink>]).</p> <p>Interestingly, findings revealed that fathers tend to hold mothers responsible for developing early media habits. This may be correlated with the observed patterns in the existing literature wherein fathers are less likely to enforce screen time restrictions, thus potentially amplifying the perceived role of mothers in overseeing media usage patterns among children (Chong et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref64">13</reflink>]). This suggests that in the contemporary era, in addition to contributing to the workforce, women continue to be the primary caregivers. To better manage work-life balance, mothers are seen to use these devices with their children as parenting time management techniques. These parenting techniques ultimately translate into social practices in the long run. This is in a typical cultural context where defined gender roles confine women to manage household chores while being the primary caregiver for their children.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-17">Conclusion</hd> <p>This study explored parental perception of infants' use of MDs. Findings revealed widespread MD use among infants, with parents viewing both positive and negative outcomes of the use of these devices. The negative impacts included challenges across cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional domains. Whereas positive impacts included learning outcomes and increased cognitive ability. Parents acknowledged positive impacts initially, however, their perception shifted from positive to negative as their infant matured. This shift in perception was largely influenced by their early experiences and observed negative outcomes with their first child. However, the multifunctionality of these devices (being used as babysitters, learning tools, for fostering imagination, etc.) encourages parents to integrate them into infant care practices.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-18">Implications and limitations</hd> <p>Findings from this study can be used to educate parents about the potential positive and negative outcomes associated with the use of MDs. This study can be used in developing parenting manuals including technology-related parenting strategies that can be opted for in a healthy manner. It can also be applicable in modern childcare centers, where children can be managed by using these devices in the best possible way by promoting learning among infants. Furthermore, clinicians can consider these findings while diagnosing ADHD or ASD to prevent misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis.</p> <p>All the participants in this study possessed higher education. This is important to note as higher education means higher literacy and knowledge, ultimately impacting parents' perception regarding MD use. This is clear as the majority of the participants had adequate knowledge about the potential effects of the use of MDs among infants. Future research can focus on parents with primary or secondary education to explore any differences in parental perception. This study included sample participants who were technologically savvy, mostly employed, and couples living together. All these characteristics could potentially impact parental perception. Moreover, all the participants were economically stable and had easy access to mobile devices, which is potentially associated with higher exposure to screens. More diversity in the sample such as low socioeconomic class or families having children with special needs might have impacted the results differently. Future research can view parental perception in the light of the abovementioned sample characteristics. This will further inform in the production of parenting manuals. Furthermore, online interviews were conducted for collecting data. Thus, the researchers might have missed the non-verbal cues shown by the participants. Future research can add behavioral observation of infants and parent-infant interactions. Another limitation of this study is the possibility of social desirability bias. The participants might have responded in a socially acceptable manner instead of accurately expressing their opinions.</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-19">Disclosure statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).</p> <hd id="AN0188645283-20">Data availability</hd> <p>The data that has been used in the study is confidential.</p> <ref id="AN0188645283-21"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref10" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Ahmed, N., Khan, K. S., & Hussain, S. (2019). Relation between screen time-based behavior, physical activity and health complaints. BAOJ Obe Weigt Manage, 023.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref53" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> American Psychiatric Association. (2022). 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Journal of Early Childhood Research, 283 – 297.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Omama Khalid and Azher Hameed Qamar</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Omama Khalid holds a Master's in clinical psychology from National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Pakistan, with a focus on qualitative research methodology. Her research interests include mental health, behaviors impacting early childhood development, and the impact of culture on human behaviors. She is currently working as a peer support Counselor for adult population.</p> <p>Azher Hameed Qamar is a post-doc researcher at School of Social Work, Lunds University. He did his PhD in Interdisciplinary Child Research from Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology (NTNU-Trondheim). His research interests are broadly related to children, young people, families, wellbeing, social work, migration, social resilience, and social integration.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib49" firstref="ref18"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref19"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref20"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref21"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref22"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref23"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref26"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref27"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref33"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref34"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref36"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref37"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref39"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref40"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref42"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib31" firstref="ref43"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref49"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib38" firstref="ref52"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref54"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref57"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl37" bibid="bib39" firstref="ref59"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl38" bibid="bib41" firstref="ref60"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl39" bibid="bib47" firstref="ref61"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl40" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref62"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl41" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref64"></nolink>
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Parental Perception of Infants' Use of Mobile Devices: A Qualitative Exploration
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Omama+Khalid%22">Omama Khalid</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5293-2577">0000-0002-5293-2577</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Azher+Hameed+Qamar%22">Azher Hameed Qamar</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Child+Care+in+Practice%22"><i>Child Care in Practice</i></searchLink>. 2025 31(4):527-542.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Attitudes%22">Parent Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telecommunications%22">Telecommunications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Handheld+Devices%22">Handheld Devices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Problems%22">Behavior Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Problems%22">Emotional Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Relationship%22">Interpersonal Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affordances%22">Affordances</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+Change%22">Attitude Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pakistan%22">Pakistan</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/13575279.2024.2376581
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1357-5279<br />1476-489X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Despite the clear restrictive guidelines about the use of modern handheld devices among children younger than 2 years, parents are seen to extensively use these devices with their infants. However, parents' perceptions in this regard remain unclear and underexplored especially, in the context of South Asian cultures such as Pakistan. This qualitative study aims to explore parents' perceptions regarding their infants' use of mobile devices. Using the purposive sampling technique, 10 couples (i.e. 20 parents) from Pakistan were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Parents with at least two children including one infant (0-2 years) were included. Single parents and parents of children with special needs were excluded. Findings revealed parents hold mixed opinions regarding the use of mobile devices. Parents expressed negative outcomes of the use of mobile devices, which were categorized into internalizing problems, emotional problems, social interaction problems, and issues in cognitive processing. They also shared positive perceptions, categorized as learning outcomes, and increased cognitive abilities. Based on their first-time parenting experiences, parents expressed both negative and positive outcomes of the use of MDs with infants. A shift in perception was observed based on their first-time parenting experiences. With increased parenting demands, participants shared constant challenges in limiting the screen time of infants, leading to experiencing negative emotions among parents i.e. guilt and worry. This study can be useful among clinicians to consider the effects of the use of mobile devices while making a neurodevelopmental diagnosis. It can also be useful in promoting learning among infants in daycare/childcare centers, in developing parenting manuals, and in developing screen time policies or guidelines.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1487950
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1487950
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/13575279.2024.2376581
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 527
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Parent Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Telecommunications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Handheld Devices
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior Problems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional Problems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Affordances
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pakistan
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Parental Perception of Infants' Use of Mobile Devices: A Qualitative Exploration
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Omama Khalid
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            NameFull: Azher Hameed Qamar
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
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              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1357-5279
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              Value: 1476-489X
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              Value: 31
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            – TitleFull: Child Care in Practice
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