Digital interference and problem behaviours

In the 1990 movie “Problem Child,” Ben Healy (John Ritter) and his wife Flo (Amy Yasbeck) don’t know that Junior (Michael Oliver), the cute seven-year-old they adopted, had previously been returned to the orphanage dozens of times because of behavioural problems. Then, one day Junior drives the family car into the family sporting-goods store.

Is there an underlying cause for Junior’s problem behaviour? Yup – he was repeatedly placed with families who ignored his needs and treated him badly.

We thought of that dark comedy because of a new study that examined a link between parents who ignore their kids out of preference for a hand-held device and their child’s problematic behaviour. Researchers examined survey data on 170 two-parent U.S. families with kids, average age three. It revealed 48 per cent of moms and dads said meal or playtimes with their children were interrupted by digital devices three or more times daily; 24 per cent, twice a day. Only 11 per cent reported no techno-interruptions during family time. The data also revealed how often their kids whined, sulked, showed signs of hyperactivity, were irritable or became easily frustrated. Putting the two together, the researchers concluded, “Technological interruptions, even at low levels, are associated with child problem behaviours.”

So if you find yourself saying, “Hey, I’m on the phone” or don’t hear what your child is saying because you’re so focused on texting, you might consider the fact that you are the cause of your child’s attention-demanding behaviours. So, please put the phone down.