Children Given Digital Devices to Stop Tantrums Won’t Learn to Regulate Emotions, Study Shows

A recent study has found that frequent use of digital devices to calm children during tantrums could hinder the development of self-regulatory skills. The research, published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on June 28, emphasized that early childhood is a critical time for learning self-regulation skills—affective, mental, and behavioral responses. In the study, 265 parents of children aged between 2 and 5 filled out questionnaires on their children’s behavior in 2020. A follow-up assessment occurred a year later. Researchers found that when parents frequently gave their children digital devices to control their emotions, the children appeared to have poorer anger and frustration management skills a year later....