Recent research from the University of Texas at Austin suggests that parents’ smartphone use could affect their babies’ language development. Published in the journal Child Development, the study focused on how mothers’ smartphone habits influenced their verbal interactions with infants.
Unlike previous lab-based studies, this research used audio recordings to monitor phone use and speech patterns in homes. The study involved 16 mother-infant pairs, primarily White, over a week. Researchers found that mothers spoke 16 percent less to their babies when using their phones. Even brief phone use of 1-2 minutes reduced speech interaction by 26 percent.
On average, mothers spent about 4.4 hours daily on their phones, highlighting potential cumulative impacts on speech development. Drs. Miriam Mikhelson and Kaya de Barbaro, the study authors, noted challenges in pinpointing exact reasons for reduced speech interaction and its long-term effects on language learning. They emphasized the difficulty of completely avoiding phone use, especially for parents with work or other obligations.
Despite these challenges, researchers advised parents to be mindful of phone use and its potential impacts on caregiving quality. They stressed the importance of responsive caregiving for infants, suggesting that awareness of smartphone distractions is a crucial first step in improving interaction quality.
