Crying, Cradles, and Cellphones: A Longitudinal Examination of Infant Media Emotion Regulation and Socio-Emotional Development in Early Infancy

Abstract

Parents use digital media to manage children's emotions—known as media emotion regulation. While research has focused on toddlers/preschoolers, media emotion regulation may begin in early infancy, potentially influencing media habits and socio-emotional development. Guided by the DREAMER framework, this longitudinal study examined media emotion regulation among 163 mother-infant dyads when infants were 2, 3, 4, and 5 months old. We also examined maternal, family, and infant characteristics associated with media emotion regulation (e.g., maternal depression, smartphone use, infant stressful behavior) and potential changes in infant socio-emotional outcomes (e.g., infant clarity of cues, responsiveness to mother). Data sources included monthly surveys, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys, passive sensing of maternal smartphone use, and feeding observations at 2 and 5 months. Results revealed the prevalence of media emotion regulation increased from 12% at 2 months to 23% at 5 months. At 2 months, media emotion regulation was associated with greater maternal emotional dysregulation and negative perceptions of infant behavior. By 4 or 5 months, smartphone use and sensitivity began to be associated with media emotion regulation. These and other results suggest media emotion regulation may stem from maternal emotional dysregulation and stress during the early months but may become habitual over time.