New Research Links Tablet Use to Anger Outbursts in Children

Researchers from the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada published a new study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics addressing a relationship between early childhood tablet use and anger outbursts.

“Child tablet use at age 3.5 years was associated with more expressions of anger and frustration by the age of 4.5 years,” states the research on its key points. “These results suggest that early-childhood tablet use may contribute to a cycle that is deleterious for emotional regulation.”

The study also noted that children who were more prone to anger and frustration at age 4.5 tended to use tablets more by age 5.5.

Researchers conclude that tablet use at an early age could make children enter a vicious cycle that affects their emotional regulation.

However, there are certain factors to consider. The study was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, in moments when the studied population—315 parents of preschoolers in 2020, 2021, and 2022— was going through a stressful period.

According to Forbes, the study isn’t clear about what is the exact reason tablets interfere with emotional development, only the consequences. Researchers observed that active use—like reading— and passive use—like watching a video—have different impacts and also the kids react differently with and without their parents. This is something for parents to consider while children use electronic devices.

Growing up, children usually apply multiple strategies to develop emotional regulation, one path is observation—considering parents or caregivers as main teachers— or through “emotional coaching” by parents telling them how to regulate their emotions. The study noted that tablets can interfere with both paths.

The study provides relevant parenting information for people across the world. As noted by Forbes, in the United States 80% of families with children own tablet devices.

Children’s relationships with technology are being observed closely by regulators across the world as it can have a big impact in their development and there are multiple risks implied. A few days ago, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States sued TikTok for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from underaged users.