Interview With Jane Shawcroft
How can problematic technology use hamper a child’s emotional development? How can you tell if a child’s relationship with media is problematic? Answering these questions and more on the Know Why Podcast is Jane Shawcroft. A PhD student at UC Davis, Jane studies the effects of media and technology on children and adolescents. Whether you have kids, work with kids, plan to have a family in the future, or are simply curious about how media is impacting all members of the family, you’ll want to hear Jane’s insight.
Examining the Evidence
Jane co-authored a study published in Technology, Mind, and Behavior in 2023 title “Structures for Screens: Longitudinal Associations Between Parental Media Rules and Problematic Media Use in Early Childhood.” She explains some of the findings of the study with Know Why Podcast, including the effects of unrestricted tablet use.
“What we kind of have evidence for is that parents are forgetting about tablets when they set rules about media use, and that was associated with more problematic media use overtime,” she said.
Media Use and Emotional Regulation
Jane also discussed the importance of filling out young children’s “toolbox” with the tools they need to deal with everyday emotions. When media is overused, it robs children of tools they may need to regulate their emotions down the road.
“It’s not that giving a phone or letting them watch some videos because they’re upset is necessarily bad,” she told Know Why. “It becomes a problem when that’s all children are doing and that’s the only way they know how to calm down.”
“When kids use media to regulate a lot, they end up needing it more and more.”
Jane Shawcroft
What about families that haven’t implemented screen time rules in the past, but want to start? Jane acknowledges that technology restrictions are a difficult terrain to navigate, since today’s parents don’t have the benefit of recalling how their own parents regulated tablets or social media time; so much of what parents deal with today is new. Jane offers advice for introducing new media rules as a family, and also gives some practical tips for knowing whether your child has had too much screen time in a day—or whether they have a problematic relationship with media in general.
There are actions everyone can take in helping to foster better habits and norms for children and technology, Jane said. “Children are spending so much time online and with technology, and it’s really a space that was not designed for children,” Jane told Know Why. She encourages listeners to learn about relevant laws such as online safety laws and child media regulations in your state, and to advocate family-safe policies by contacting your elected officials. Find links to do so below.
More Resources
- Read the study “Structures for Screens” in Technology, Mind and Behavior
- “Toddlers and Tablets: Being Purposeful About Your Child’s Technology Use” by Jane Shawcroft on the Institute for Family Studies Blog (A summary of some of the findings from the “Structures for Screens” study)
- Find out who your federal, state, and local representatives are, and how to contact them