Mobile Devices Used to Calm Difficult Child Behavior

Author: University of Michigan Health System
Published: 3 Mar 2016 - Updated: 29 Jun 2026
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed | Research, Study, Analysis

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates - Related Publications

Synopsis: This research, a peer-reviewed study led by pediatrician Jenny Radesky, M.D., of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan, examined how parents of young children turn to smartphones and tablets as calming tools. Published as a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics, the analysis carries weight because it draws on direct parental reporting from 144 healthy children aged 15 to 36 months in low income families, and because its authors are recognized experts in child behavior and pediatric development. The findings are useful for parents, caregivers, and clinicians who work with children who have social and emotional difficulties, offering measured insight into when and why mobile technology becomes a go-to coping strategy and raising questions about its longer-term effect on a child's social-emotional growth.*

At a Glance

• 1 - The study focused on children aged 15 to 36 months.
• 2 - Funding came from the Academic Pediatric Association Bright Futures Young Investigator Award.
• 3 - No differences appeared between children with social-emotional difficulties and others when devices were used during eating, chores, bedtime, or public outings.

Topic Definition: Mobile Technology as a Child Calming Tool

Mobile technology as a child calming tool refers to the practice of giving infants and young children smartphones or tablets to soothe upset behavior, manage tantrums, or maintain quiet in the home. It describes a coping strategy in which caregivers rely on digital screens to regulate a child's emotional state, particularly during moments of frustration or distress. Researchers study this behavior to understand how it relates to a child's social and emotional development, how parental stress and a sense of control influence its frequency, and what consequences regular use may hold for a young child's communication skills and long-term wellbeing.

Introduction

It may be tempting to hand an iPad or Smartphone to a tantrum-throwing child - and maybe more so for some parents...

Children with social and emotional difficulties in low income homes were more likely to be given mobile technology to calm them down or keep peace and quiet in the house, according to a small study led by a pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan. The findings appear in a research letter JAMA Pediatrics.

"We know that parents of babies and toddlers with difficult behavior disproportionately use television and videos as calming tools. We wanted to explore whether the same might be true for mobile technology like phones and tablets," says lead author Jenny Radesky, M.D., a child behavior expert and assistant professor in pediatrics at U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Radesky conducted the study while at Boston Medical Center.

"We found that the less control and more frustration parents felt over their children's behavior, the more likely they were to turn to mobile devices to help calm their kids down," she adds. "We need to further study whether this relationship between digital technology and social-emotional development difficulties applies to a more general population of parents as well, and what effect it might have on kids' longer-term outcomes."

Main Content

The study included 144 healthy children ages 15-36 months in low income families. Parents were asked about the likelihood of allowing Smartphone or tablet use during different situations.

Devices were more likely to be used as a coping strategy to pacify children with difficult behavior. However, there were no differences between children with social-emotional difficulties and other children when it came to mobile technology use during other scenarios, such as eating, being in public, doing chores or at bedtime.

"Other studies show that increased television time can hinder young children's language and social development, partly because they reduce human-to-human interaction," Radesky says.

"Now that screens can be taken anywhere, they have become part of our interpersonal space. We're interested in identifying the ways that mobile devices sometimes interfere with family dynamics, but also how we can use them as a tool to increase parent-child connection."

About the Study

Additional Authors: Elizabeth Peacock-Chambers, M.D., Barry Zuckerman, M.D., Michael Silverstein, M.D., M.P.H., all of Boston. Medical Center

Funding: Academic Pediatric Association Bright Futures Young Investigator Award (Dr. Peacock-Chambers).

Disclosure: None

Reference: "Use of Mobile Technology to Calm Upset Children: Associations with Social-Emotional development," JAMA Pediatrics, April 2016, Volume 170, No.4.

Related Information

• Link Between Child TV Time and Metabolic Syndrome
• When Children Are Allowed TV and Games in Bedroom
• Gaming Disorder Disability: Video Game Addiction (VGA)
• Screen Time Linked to Psychological Problems in Children
• Too much TV, Video and Computer Can Make Teens Fatter
• Link Between Excessive Screen Time and Teen Suicide Risk
• Why Babies Under Two Should Have No Screen Time at All - UK researchers warn that screen time for children under two carries long-term health risks and offers few real benefits during early development.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Michigan Health System and published on 3 Mar 2016, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.