Screens and digital technology are ubiquitous in the lives of children and parents – but what does this mean for child development?
Screens and digital technology are ubiquitous in the lives of children and parents – but what does this mean for child development? In this episode, David Karsten is joined by Dr Amber Beynon to discuss her research into the relationship between infant development, screen time and other family factors.
Dr Amber Beynon
Dr Amber Beynon is a Research Fellow at Curtin University’s School of Allied Health. She investigates the health impacts of information technology and the epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain in young populations.
Find out more about Amber’s work:
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Host: David Karsten
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00:00:00:03 - 00:00:09:07
Sarah Taillier
This is the future of where experts share their vision of the future and how their work is helping shape it for the better.
00:00:09:09 - 00:00:41:10
David Karsten
I'm David Karsten. From TVs to toys. Digital technology is ubiquitous in the lives of children and parents. While we know that growing up in a digital environment influences development, our picture of its precise impact remains blurry. Current research draws wide and varied conclusions and public perception of kids using screens often skews to the negative. Well, today I was joined by doctor Amber Beynon, a research fellow at Kirton School of Allied Health, whose recent research challenges common views on the impact of infant screen time.
00:00:41:11 - 00:01:05:05
David Karsten
In our chat, we discussed Amber’s impactful research into the relationship between infant development, screen time and other family factors and explored ways parents can navigate our increasingly technological world. If you'd like to know more about this research, you can visit the links in the show notes. Amber. Full disclosure I'm on the father of an 11 year old who has lived with screens, I think, since she was born.
00:01:05:06 - 00:01:24:04
David Karsten
So I come with a certain bias, and certainly, I guess, a set of guilt that that I'm putting before you with the hope of absolution. But look, before we dive into the research that you've been doing, could you share with us what we know so far about the impact of screen time on a child's development?
00:01:24:06 - 00:01:46:17
Dr Amber Beynon
Yeah. Well, as you said, it's all around us, and screens are a part of everyday life. We know that so many children are engaging with screen use and using it at a younger age. So it's really important for many families. There's a lot of mixed research out there that excessive screen use is associated with delays in areas such as communication, motor skills and social development.
00:01:46:17 - 00:02:10:21
Dr Amber Beynon
But it's actually more complex than that in just saying screens are bad, because then there's other research that says screens are associated with better language and executive function. But what we really need to think about, and where the gap is, is how it really fits into the broader family environment and how screen use could fit in with other factors like parental mental health.
00:02:10:22 - 00:02:22:01
David Karsten
As far as parental mental health is concerned. And but does it actually extend beyond just allaying the guilt of the amount of time your child spends in front of a screen?
00:02:22:03 - 00:02:50:02
Dr Amber Beynon
Yes, I think it does directly. In our research, we found that there was some associations between screen use and infant development, such as infants using mobile touch screen devices. But what we found more consistently is that poorer parental mental health, such as increased depression and anxiety by both mothers and fathers, were more consistently linked to poor child developmental outcomes.
00:02:50:04 - 00:03:06:22
Dr Amber Beynon
So this shows us that we really should be supporting parents mental health for, rather than just considering screen time as leading to poor development. Parental mental health may be just as, if not more important than just focusing on reducing screen time.
00:03:06:24 - 00:03:17:22
David Karsten
It kids can pick up a job, can't they? They are very intuitive. And I guess what you're saying there is a it's a whole equation. It's not just about a screen. It's it's so much more than that, isn't it?
00:03:17:23 - 00:03:34:20
Dr Amber Beynon
Exactly. It's considering the entire family system and which screen use it. Just one element, along with parental mental health, along with the environments that the child is in. So there's no point just taking one element in isolation. We really need to support the family as a whole.
00:03:34:22 - 00:03:47:20
David Karsten
There's a lot of avenues that you're you're sort of investigating, and we're off to a flying start. Amber. But let's focus on, I guess, the, the, the sample group at which you're looking at in your research, your focus specifically on infant development. Right.
00:03:47:22 - 00:03:49:06
Dr Amber Beynon
Exactly. Yes.
00:03:49:08 - 00:03:55:20
David Karsten
So, so what are you finding there? And is exposure to screens at an infant sort of level? Is that a fairly common thing?
00:03:55:20 - 00:04:20:22
Dr Amber Beynon
That it is fairly common. So we found on average in the group we were looking at, which were infants 12 months of age, that they were on average watching TV 30 minutes a day and using mobile touchscreen devices so that tablets and phones five minutes a day. And this is like just one year of age. This is using data from the ORIGINS Project and which is a large cohort here in Western Australia.
00:04:20:24 - 00:04:26:07
Dr Amber Beynon
And then we looked at the role of mobile touchscreen devices on their development.
00:04:26:12 - 00:04:53:05
David Karsten
Okay. So we're looking at communication language development. But I guess this is a little bit further down the track is that, you know, a residual effect on on reading as well. I guess from my perspective, I've really noticed the engagement with reading is actually something I'm really having to push, and I don't know if that would be the case or if it would indeed still be the case if if screens weren't a part of the equation because some kids just don't engage with reading as much as others do.
00:04:53:05 - 00:04:57:22
David Karsten
Right? So. So yeah, how do you measure all of those, those sort of impacts?
00:04:57:24 - 00:05:17:05
Dr Amber Beynon
It's a very good question. Can't give you absolute answers because we've only been looking at the 12 months out so far. But we do plan to continue on to the older children, but I think is how it's being used. It's not a platform. Right. As screens are replacing books, or it can only be one or the other.
00:05:17:07 - 00:05:31:00
Dr Amber Beynon
Screens could be utilized in ways that can enhance reading, or it could be utilized in ways that will maybe be detrimental or so it's not so clear cut. And that's what we're finding now is how it's being used is important.
00:05:31:02 - 00:05:36:02
David Karsten
So really it's not a simple case of of calling out parents to to cut screen time altogether.
00:05:36:04 - 00:06:01:03
Dr Amber Beynon
Exactly. It's more about the balance and how the screens are being used and looking at the broader family environment, technology is part of modern life and it's not going anywhere, but it's not something we should be afraid of. We should really have a bigger picture approach instead of just fixating on screen time alone. We need to think about the child's overall development and the other factors in the child's routine.
00:06:01:05 - 00:06:13:19
Dr Amber Beynon
Are they also engaging in active play, reading books, having time outside? Technology is just one element to the picture, and technology can be utilized to help enhance different areas as well.
00:06:13:21 - 00:06:35:24
David Karsten
I guess there's a flip side to that as well in that, it's to that argument of of cutting screen time out altogether and, and that there is that equitable access to technology because it is such a massive part of our lives that really our kids do need to have a bit of a handle on that before they engage, perhaps with technology in sort of a schooling context, for instance.
00:06:36:01 - 00:07:01:12
Dr Amber Beynon
Yeah, definitely. For sure. Yeah, I think it's about particularly in the early years, scaffolding technology use. So allowing in the early years, parents to be really engaged and teaching children safe use of technology. So then when they're left to their own devices, particularly as teenagers, they know how to do this in a safe manner and using the most benefit aspects of technology use.
00:07:01:14 - 00:07:15:22
David Karsten
So, with with regards to your research at an infant development level, you talk about, perhaps investigating these longer term effects with, with an older cohort. Will it be the same cohort as part of a, a longitudinal study?
00:07:16:03 - 00:07:35:14
Dr Amber Beynon
Yes, yes, it will be. So so far using the ORIGINS project, the children have been followed up to five years of age. And this will continue to eight years of age. It's a rolling cohort. So this year where we're looking at the data from the toddlers. So two to three year olds and then hopefully next year looking into the preschoolers.
00:07:35:16 - 00:07:45:15
Dr Amber Beynon
So be really interesting to see how changes of technology use on child development perhaps changes over time as the child grows.
00:07:45:17 - 00:08:05:20
David Karsten
And but this must be such a an interesting field of research to be a part of over the long term. But with what you've found so far, how can this research actually help at a practical level, as far as parents marshalling their children's development, while navigating all this tech? I mean, it's, it's a bit of a minefield for us as parents as well, right?
00:08:05:22 - 00:08:29:08
Dr Amber Beynon
Definitely. I think one of our key findings is that not all screens are inherently bad. What matters more is the context. Instead of just the amount of time using screens, instead of saying, oh, screens are harmful, we need to think about what type of screens are being used. Are they just passively watching an iPad or are they using an interactive app?
00:08:29:10 - 00:08:58:22
Dr Amber Beynon
How is it being used? Our screens replacing valuable interactions or they use alongside the carers and what's happening in the broader family environment? Another really important finding we found in our research was that parental mental health plays a bigger role in child development than screen use itself. So rather than parents pushing to cut out screens entirely, we should really consider the healthy use of screens, which might actually be helping parents mental health as well.
00:08:59:03 - 00:09:04:06
Dr Amber Beynon
Instead of putting all the guilt on parents to try to be perfect.
00:09:04:08 - 00:09:23:08
David Karsten
Oh, Amber, I feel so much better. Price pay. Oh, but but look, in amongst all of those different scenarios, can you give us, I guess, some definitive advice on on the best way to employ screens, that is beneficial to our child's development. If it's not all bad, what are the good ways of doing so?
00:09:23:10 - 00:09:56:10
Dr Amber Beynon
That's a very good question. But unfortunately, the problem is I can't give a definitive answer because it's not black and white. What would work for one child won't necessarily work for another child. But in giving an answer, I would say using technology to enhance connections would be a great start. So engaging in technology together with your child, or using technology to boost physical activity or connection to outside, for example, nature play.
00:09:56:12 - 00:10:13:05
Dr Amber Beynon
We has some fantastic apps out there, like their nature trails and their talk walk, which is all about using technology in different ways to enhance connections amongst friends, family and in particular nature. And getting outside with that.
00:10:13:07 - 00:10:35:12
David Karsten
Oh, that's really clever, I think. Yeah, there's lots of merit in that. I mean, yeah, just, just, I guess the, the battle for, for a lot of parents and I'm just not putting my hand up here is. Well, how do we how do we combine screens and, and outside activities? You know, tearing the child away from the screen actually requires you to bring them outside.
00:10:35:12 - 00:10:54:17
David Karsten
And if, if nature play has some, some apps that are able to combine the two. Oh that's brilliant. Thank you for that Amber. That's that's wonderful. With regards to this research as a whole, this is a very basic question that we may should have. Maybe we should have asked that at the very beginning. But what is important about it to you?
00:10:54:17 - 00:11:04:21
David Karsten
What why why is it important to to investigate how screens and digital digital tech are actually, affecting, a child's development?
00:11:04:23 - 00:11:31:05
Dr Amber Beynon
Well, in particular, for infant development, infancy is a critical period of development in so many different ways physical, emotional, cognitive. It really lays the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior and health. And there's not a whole lot of research within that younger years in infancy, and technology isn't going anywhere. So we really need to see how it can potentially play a role.
00:11:31:07 - 00:11:57:06
Dr Amber Beynon
We also need to beyond move beyond a one size fits all recommendation. Technology is constantly evolving, and I know many parents, educators, policymakers. I'm asking the questions about how are these new technologies playing a role in children's life at a young age? So we really need to be teaching children how to use screens well to minimize risk and help them gain benefits from now into the future.
00:11:57:08 - 00:12:38:08
David Karsten
It's an opportunity, in a way, to as I was, I was just thinking about that. But I guess parents and educators back in the 60s and 70s were probably wrestling with similar questions with the advent of television. Right. But television is a slightly different proposition. It's not interactive. It very much is a passive activity, isn't it? And and so there's there's a generation of parents like myself who were brought up with, with our parents telling us to, you know, get outside and get some fresh air and stop plunking yourself down in front of the, the TV for, for hours on end, taking I guess that that notion of, passive, screen interaction,
00:12:38:10 - 00:12:53:05
David Karsten
and applying it to, tablets, that we have today. It's very different now, isn't it? And that that that notion of interactivity and then being able to share that experience with, with your child is, I guess it opens up opportunities, right?
00:12:53:07 - 00:13:18:04
Dr Amber Beynon
It definitely opens up so many opportunities back in the day with the television, there was only, what, three, 4 or 5 channels and set times. Maybe children's TV shows were only on for an hour in the morning and a couple hours in the evening. So it's a completely different world now, and the portability of the devices to take them outside and the different uses you can use.
00:13:18:04 - 00:13:35:21
Dr Amber Beynon
Technology is a whole new world, and it is hard for parents to navigate when they've come from these broadcast networks. With limited time on TVs to it's all around us. So parents, learning with their children just as much as children are learning how to use it.
00:13:35:23 - 00:13:49:12
David Karsten
Now, you talk about technology evolving and changing. We're in the throes of of an AI revolution at the moment. Artificial intelligence. What does that mean in terms of, of the tech that our, our kids are interacting with?
00:13:49:14 - 00:14:15:13
Dr Amber Beynon
That's a fantastic question. AI is shaping the way that children engage with technology and interact with technology, and in particular, using it younger. So AI is being used from personalized learning apps to interactive toys, particularly for the younger children. I think I has incredible potential, but we also need to ensure it's used in ways that support children's wellbeing and learning.
00:14:15:15 - 00:14:49:04
Dr Amber Beynon
I like any other technology, it's important to be aware of its risks and like any new technology, it could be quite scary for parents and parents really need to learn how to use it safely and parents and children can learn together to hopefully harness the potential but also minimize risks. I agree that the AI revolution is exciting. However, it is new and is ongoing and really need some rigorous research to understand its influences.
00:14:49:06 - 00:15:04:05
David Karsten
Well, as that rigorous research, being undertaken by yourself and your team. Because really, if it's if it's happening now, is this going to be, a part of your longitudinal study with that cohort of of infants, toddlers, young people into the future.
00:15:04:11 - 00:15:23:05
Dr Amber Beynon
At this stage, not necessarily within the cohorts that I'm exactly looking into, but I know there are others within our center which is the Australian Research Council's Center of Excellence for the Digital Child that are looking into the influences of AI in children.
00:15:23:07 - 00:15:39:12
David Karsten
And just, just, at the at a very surface level, just thinking about AI. The potential there to, to be, I guess, adaptive to an individual child's development is what makes it really exciting. Is that a is that a fair assumption?
00:15:39:14 - 00:16:12:16
Dr Amber Beynon
It is extremely exciting. The learning capacity of these AI technology is next level, and it can really show the difference between how it can interact with one child to another. And remember those interactions, which is a little bit scary, but also can be beneficial to learning to its recommendations that it gives the way it plays. But we do have to be a bit obviously cautious with a technology that's so powerful.
00:16:12:18 - 00:16:20:07
David Karsten
I'm just hoping that it's going to be developed enough to help my kid with algebra homework, because it's probably going to do a better job than me.
00:16:20:07 - 00:16:23:01
Dr Amber Beynon
Well, that would be amazing.
00:16:23:03 - 00:16:42:11
David Karsten
Look, I don't know how comfortable you are about speaking about your own situation. Both. As a researcher, and as an individual outside of research. But what inspired you to to to go down this career path and, and has in that time your, your circumstances changed, become even more relevant?
00:16:42:13 - 00:17:07:23
Dr Amber Beynon
Yes, yes. No problem. Well, I've always really been interested in childhood health and development. I've always believed it's so important to think about development at an early stage, and really starting right from the early years. As I've dived deep into the research, I found that there's a real gap in understanding in how technology fits in with the broader family factors.
00:17:08:00 - 00:17:12:07
Dr Amber Beynon
And now, more recently, as a new parent, it's becoming even more relevant.
00:17:12:08 - 00:17:14:02
David Karsten
There we go. Congratulations.
00:17:14:02 - 00:17:47:15
Dr Amber Beynon
Thank you. So now I have a ten month old little boy and I can see from pregnancy that there was so much guilt in parenting in all aspects. So in this research, I really wanted to bring a more nuanced perspective to try to limit the guilt surrounding screens and provide a more positive message. The goal is to provide evidence based guidance that help parents feel empowered rather than guilty, when it comes to technology use.
00:17:47:17 - 00:18:06:07
Dr Amber Beynon
Technology use is just one part of the puzzle, and I'm finding this more and more as I interact with my son that he's quite young, of course, but we really need to help children thrive, both online and offline, so that's really pushing my avenue of research further.
00:18:06:08 - 00:18:13:03
David Karsten
Well, the question I need to ask is, are you able to switch off? Are you constantly researching even when you come home?
00:18:13:05 - 00:18:33:16
Dr Amber Beynon
Of course, of course, particularly in child development, of watching how he grows and develops and how I can enhance that in different ways. So and I love my job. I love my research. So I don't feel like I really have the desire to switch off. Really. It's just part of everything. And I think it's so amazing to see it first hand.
00:18:33:18 - 00:18:47:00
David Karsten
And this work is so important to such a broad section of the community. Community. There are so many kids and and equally so many parents looking for guidance or what is to become of the findings that you've come to.
00:18:47:02 - 00:19:20:11
Dr Amber Beynon
That is a great question. Right now, these are published findings in research, but they're not so easily accessible to parents, to families, to policymakers. So that is another avenue of research that my colleague is doing in trying to make these findings more accessible in how parents can use it, because we know parents and families are so time poor, so how we're trying to establish ways that we can actually share this information and translate this information to families out there.
00:19:20:11 - 00:19:27:22
Dr Amber Beynon
So watch this and hopefully we will be able to share this information in a more accessible way in the future.
00:19:27:24 - 00:19:41:17
David Karsten
And that's yeah, that's great. Please keep us posted. We're all dying to know. To, I guess, be better parents in a digital age. We've really, valued the time that you spent with us today to talk to us about your research. And thank you so much.
00:19:41:19 - 00:19:48:22
Dr Amber Beynon
Thank you very much for having me on it. Fantastic to hear the interest in this area. And hopefully it'll be helpful to parents out there.
00:19:48:24 - 00:20:02:08
Sarah Taillier
You've been listening to the future of a podcast powered by Curtin University. As always, if you've enjoyed this episode, please share it and don't forget to subscribe to the future of on your favourite podcast app. Bye for now.