Technoference or phubbing – how electronic devices can impair children’s development

09.2025
Author Dr. Martin Claßen, Bremen

One of the biggest threats to children’s development in the modern world may be use of electronic devices by parents around their children. They distract parents from interacting, communicating and doing motor activities with their children. An Australian meta-analysis of all existing scientific studies has now attempted to gather the evidence: 21 studies on children between the ages of 0 and 4.9 years, involving 14,900 participants in 10 countries, met the inclusion criteria. Significant associations were found between use of devices and cognitive skills (r = -0.14; 95% CI, -0.23 to -0.04), internalising behaviour problems, behaviour and emotions (r = +0.13; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.19), externalising behaviour problems (r = +0.15; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.21), social behaviour (r = -0.08; 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.02), ability to bond (r = -0.10; 95% CI, -0.19 to -0.01) and screen time (r = +0.23; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.32). Whether the parents were distracted by the devices or were interrupted when looking after their child was not a factor. None of the studies investigated impacts on development of motor skills, physical activity or sleeping patterns in children.

Comment: As we all know, close interaction between children and their parents is critical in children’s early development. Parents reacting immediately to their children’s signals boosts emotional security and bonding, provides an opportunity to practice communicative interaction and helps children explore the world around them in a playful way. Children practise emotional reactions by mirroring their parents’ faces. If parents are distracted by using electronic devices, however, many of these reactions – which are incredibly important for a child’s development – are reduced or delayed. Up to 70% of parents admit to using a smartphone while eating or playing with their children. This is known as technoference or phubbing (the latter is a portmanteau of phone and snubbing).
The meta-analysis presented here underlines the concerns we have as paediatricians in this regard. Although previous studies have only demonstrated associations rather than proving causation, I think the results are so significant that I recommend avoiding use of electronic devices at all times around infants and toddlers – even if the effect sizes are small, it has wide-ranging impacts on various developmental areas and on psychological and emotional aspects.
In a world where digital technology is all around us, the big challenge is to get parents to think differently and prioritise their children over their electronic devices. This will only succeed if midwives, paediatricians and nursery staff work together to encourage this, alongside regular campaigns on social media, radio and TV, etc.

Reference:
Toledo-Vargas M, Chong KH, Maddren CI, Howard SJ, Wakefield B, Okely AD. Parental Technology Use in a Child's Presence and Health and Development in the Early Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 May 5;179(7):730–7. DOI:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.0682