Differences in Parent-Toddler Interactions with Electronic versus Print Books

Access: FREE/Open Access

Download the full text: Munzer_2019_Differences in parent-toddler interactions with electronic versus print books

Publication year

2019

study description

Experimental, laboratory-based study.

core topic(s)

Shared Reading

Population Characteristics

Toddler/Preschool

Exposures, Outcomes, Other

Language and Literacy Development , Parent-Child Relationships/Interactions , Social-Emotional , Technology and Digital/Screen-Based Media

metric(s)

MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI)
Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA)

objectives

We examined parent-toddler verbal and nonverbal interactions when reading electronic versus print books.

exposure

Print and electronic books.

outcomes evaluated

Parent-toddler verbal and non-verbal interactions.

setting

Participants recruited from the University of Michigan online research registry (UMhealthresearch.org) and community-based settings, including pediatric offices, child care centers, and community centers.

methods

We conducted a videotaped, laboratory-based, counterbalanced study of 37 parent-toddler dyads reading on 3 book formats (enhanced electronic [sound effects and/or animation], basic electronic, and print). We coded verbalizations in 10-second intervals for parents (dialogic, nondialogic, text reading, format related, negative format-related directives, and off task) and children (book related, negative, and off task). Shared positive affect and collaborative book reading were coded on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 = high). Proc Genmod and Proc Mixed analyzed within-subjects variance by book format.

sample size

n=37 (parent-toddler dyads)

measures

Measure of Potential Covariates: parent surveys including demographic information (parent age, sex, educational attainment, household income, race and/or ethnicity, relationship to child, and marital status; child’s age, sex, ethnicity, and prematurity).

 

Measure of Language Development: MacArthur-Bates Communicative Developmental Inventory (CDI) short form (total words produced accounted for age).

 

Measure of Social-Emotional Development: Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA).

 

Measure of Digital Media Use: standardized questions assessed the frequency of home child digital media use (including tablet, smartphone, and electronic-book usage) and parental mediation strategies (instructive, restrictive, and coviewing).

results

Parents showed significantly more dialogic (print 11.9; enhanced 6.2 [P < .001]; basic 8.3 [P < .001]), text-reading (print 14.3; enhanced 10.6 [P = .003]; basic 14.4 [P < .001]), off-task (print 2.3; enhanced 1.3 [P = .007]), and total (29.5; enhanced 28.1 [P = .003]; basic 29.3 [P = .005]) verbalizations with print books and fewer format-related verbalizations (print 1.9; enhanced 10.0 [P < .001]; basic 8.3 [P < .001]). Toddlers showed more book-related verbalizations (print 15.0; enhanced 11.5 [P < .001]; basic 12.5 [P = .005]), total verbalizations (print 18.8; enhanced 13.8 [P < .001]; basic 15.3 [P < .001]), and higher collaboration scores (print 3.1; enhanced 2.7 [P = .004]; basic 2.8 [P = .02]) with print-book reading.

conclusions

Parents and toddlers verbalized less with electronic books, and collaboration was lower. Future studies should examine specific aspects of tablet-book design that support parent-child interaction. Pediatricians may wish to continue promoting shared reading of print books, particularly for toddlers and younger children.

limitations

Limitations include the small sample size from 1 geographic area, the use of only 1 type of book-reading application (which limits generalizability), and that the age range of our study sample precluded assessment of reading comprehension.