Parents are often told to limit their children’s screen time. Less often do we ask another question: what happens when it is the parent looking at the screen?
A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics examines how parents’ use of smartphones and other digital devices while in their child’s presence may influence early childhood health and development.
The study
The researchers combined findings from 21 studies involving nearly 15,000 parent–child pairs, making this the most comprehensive review to date on what is often called parental technology use or “technoference”: moments when digital devices interrupt interactions between parents and their children.
Across the studies, higher parental technology use was consistently associated with poorer cognitive development, weaker prosocial behaviour, more internalising behaviours (such as anxiety and withdrawal), more externalising behaviours (including aggression and hyperactivity), and greater overall emotional and behavioural difficulties in young children.
The review also found associations with reduced parent–child attachment, lower parental sensitivity and responsiveness, and less frequent verbal and non-verbal interaction. In other words, when technology regularly competes for a parent’s attention, opportunities for the back-and-forth exchanges that support early development may become less frequent.
Not every outcome showed an association. The evidence linking parental technology use with children’s physical activity, motor development, sleep, or tantrums was inconsistent or too limited to draw firm conclusions. Likewise, most studies measured parents’ everyday technology use rather than problematic or addictive use, suggesting that even ordinary digital interruptions may matter.
The authors also assessed how confident we can be in these findings. Although the associations were generally consistent, most of the available evidence came from observational studies, meaning they cannot show that parental technology use directly causes these developmental differences. Other factors, such as parental stress, mental health, or family circumstances, may also play a role.
What this means for everyday health
Early childhood development depends not only on how much time parents spend with their children, but also on the quality of that time. Decades of developmental research have shown that babies and young children learn through responsive interactions: eye contact, conversation, shared attention, facial expressions, and turn-taking. This review suggests that frequent digital interruptions may reduce those everyday moments that help build language, emotional regulation, and secure relationships. However, the findings do not suggest that parents should never use their phones around their children. Rather, they highlight the potential value of creating small periods of uninterrupted interaction, during meals, playtime, bedtime routines, or conversations, when children have a parent’s full attention.
The takeaway
Technology has become part of modern family life, and few parents can realistically put their phones away all day. But this review suggests that how often devices interrupt parent–child interactions matter, beyond how much screen time children themselves have.
Reference
Toledo-Vargas, M., Chong, K. H., Maddren, C. I., Howard, S. J., Wakefield, B., & Okely, A. D. (2025). Parental technology use in a child’s presence and health and development in the early years: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 179(7), 730-737. www.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.0682
Lecturer at the Sociology Department, University of Barcelona