Parental perspectives on children’s use of portable digital devices

Small portable digital devices (PDDs) – tablets and smartphones – are becoming increasingly popular among children at early ages. In this qualitative study, we applied the theoretical frameworks of self-efficacy and othermothering to examine the perspectives of parents from rural areas regarding the role of PDDs in children of early and primary education age (4–7 years old). We conducted in-depth interviews with parents, observed children at home, and collected artefacts related to children’s PDDs use to capture daily habits, experiences, and attitudes from different angles. Data revealed that parents supported PDDs as entertainment and learning tools. Parents reported improvements in dexterity, memory, attention, and linguistic and mathematical skills, and believed that PDDs positively affect children’s cognitive development. During observations, children exhibited versatility and skill with app navigation for entertainment and educational purposes. Children completed tasks in an independent and efficacious manner that reinforced engagement. Parents seemed to unconsciously transfer to PDDs a cognitive and social role that created another parenting modality as in othermothering. Parents, meanwhile, appeared concerned with uncontrolled overuse of PDDs by children. These findings suggest that parents from rural areas view PDDs as tools that pose opportunities and challenges for entertainment and learning.