Parents’ attitude to use of digital technology by young children

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Abstract

The article provides a review of studies concerning the parent’s attitude to digital technology utilization of their young children. Data presented show an increase in intensity and a significant decrease in the age at which children start using mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. It is shown that new technologies significantly change the relationship of children and parents. Variants of parental mediation strategies in the process of using digital technologies are highlighted and described: restrictive, active, co-use, etc. This paper is concluded with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics for use of media by young children. The need to make a General Comment on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects children’s access, protection and participation rights in use of new digital resources in an era of rapid technological change, is emphasized.

General Information

Keywords: parents, early childhood, preschoolers, parent-child relationships, parental mediation, mobile devices, digital technologies, touch screen, recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Journal rubric: Developmental Psychology and Age-Related Psychology

Article type: review article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2019080408

For citation: Smirnova E.O., Smirnova S.Y., Sheina E.G. Parents’ attitude to use of digital technology by young children [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sovremennaia zarubezhnaia psikhologiia = Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 2019. Vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 79–87. DOI: 10.17759/jmfp.2019080408. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Elena O. Smirnova, Doctor of Psychology, Рrofessor of the Department of Preschool Pedagogics and Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology of Education, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia

Svetlana Y. Smirnova, Researcher of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Childhood, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8579-4908, e-mail: smirnovasy@mgppu.ru

Elena G. Sheina, lecturer at the Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology, Faculty of Psychology of Education, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3723-812X, e-mail: leshgp@gmail.com

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