Knowledge Tree
digital media
Also known as: online media, digital media platforms
Facts (22)
Sources
The Children and Screens Guide for Child Development and Media ... childrenandscreens.org 15 facts
perspectiveNot all active forms of digital media use are beneficial; active usage for socializing that replaces face-to-face interaction is not necessarily a positive net use of digital media.
quoteMyruski states: "Teens that habitually prefer digital media might miss out on opportunities to hone their social skills, to get practice managing their emotions and real time interactions."
claimPositive uses of digital media for social connection include using direct messaging to form friendships that lead to in-person conversations, posting on social media to express identity and find like-minded communities, meeting others online to game, and video chatting with supportive friends or family members.
perspectiveChia-chen Yang, an associate professor of educational psychology at Oklahoma State University, argues that when adults diminish youth culture, it creates barriers to connection rather than fostering it.
claimAdolescents are currently trying to understand themselves and the world primarily through the use of digital media.
claimYouth with ADHD are more susceptible to digital media overuse because their tendencies toward seeking constant stimulation and struggling with delayed gratification align with the design of digital media.
quoteDouglas Gentile stated: "The literature is very clear. Active mediation is the absolute best for kids and is a powerful protective factor for children against risks from online media."
quoteChia-chen Yang cautions parents: “Don’t assume digital media use to be bad. It gives teens the impression that we don’t appreciate the importance of digital media in their social lives, and that we’re just there to take away their autonomy, and then they don’t want to talk to us.”
claimDigital media use can worsen ADHD symptoms and emotional dysregulation in children by reinforcing their existing struggles with stimulation and procrastination.
claimMitch Prinstein explains that individuals experiencing social or psychological vulnerabilities who engage with harmful, addictive, or concerning digital media stimuli may experience worse outcomes.
quoteMitch Prinstein states: “The research in this area is continuing to suggest that there’s a combination of who a child is that interacts with what specific kinds of digital media activities and platforms they engage in that might be most important to understand any particular outcome. A resilient adolescent who uses digital media to chat with their friends and talk about the news might be fine.”
procedureParents should model healthy digital media habits by putting phones away during interactions with children, keeping devices away from mealtimes, demonstrating civil online behavior, avoiding using phones for emotional regulation, and not keeping devices in the bedroom.
quote“It’s helpful for adolescents to be asked questions about their preferences to use digital media or technology for social or emotional goals. They’ve never really thought about it before, like whether they prefer one or the other and just thinking about it helps them be more introspective.”
claimAlok Kanojia, MD, MPH, President & Co-Founder of Healthy Gamer, advises parents to trust their parental instinct when determining if their child has a problem with digital media use, noting that this instinct has been honed over millions of years of evolution.
procedureParents can initiate conversations about digital media with adolescents by asking open-ended questions such as: what they are watching, their favorite TV shows, what new media they are interested in, why specific videos appear in their feeds, why they watch certain influencers, or what funny content they have seen on YouTube.
Associations between media parenting practices and early ... - Nature nature.com Jun 5, 2024 4 facts
claimDigital media impacts children and adolescents, according to a 2016 report by Y.L. Reid Chassiakos et al. published in Pediatrics.
referenceCoyne et al. (2017) published research regarding parenting and digital media.
claimEarly adolescents may increasingly rely on digital media platforms for social support and identity exploration due to the increasing accessibility, availability, and familiarity of these platforms.
claimParents who use digital media more frequently may be more open to children’s media use and impose fewer restrictions on their children's screen time.
The SAGE Handbook of Play and Learning in Early Childhood sk.sagepub.com 1 fact
claimLydia Plowman has over 20 years of experience researching children and technologies, specifically focusing on how digital media is integrated into family life for leisure, work, and educational purposes.
Nutrition and Physical Activity | healthychildcare.unc.edu 1 fact
procedureChild Care Health Consultants (CCHCs) ensure staff receive training opportunities to learn about age-appropriate gross motor activities and games that promote children’s physical activity and limit screen time and other digital media.
The Power of Play: How Fun and Games Help Children Thrive healthychildren.org May 3, 2023 1 fact
claimReal-time social interactions and play are more effective for learning in children than digital media.