A new study found that using screens to calm children doesn't affect every family in the same way.
Researchers followed children for years to better understand the relationship between screen use and cognitive development.
The findings suggest supporting parents — especially their mental health — may be just as important as focusing on screen time itself.
If you've ever seen a parent hand a phone or tablet to a fussy toddler in a grocery store or waiting room, you're not alone. Many parents use screens to help calm an upset child, especially during stressful moments. But is that habit harmful in the long run?
According to a new study from researchers at The Ohio State University, the answer isn't as straightforward as many people assume.
Instead of finding one clear pattern, researchers discovered that the relationship between using screens to regulate a child's emotions and their cognitive development differs from child to child.
The study focused on executive functions — mental abilities that help children control impulses, solve problems, adapt to new situations, and make thoughtful decisions. These skills play an important role in school success, social relationships and everyday behavior.
Rather than asking whether screens are simply "good" or "bad," the researchers wanted to better understand how children's development and parents' screen use influence one another over time.
“It’s not just that the effects are larger or smaller for some kids — the underlying pattern is different for different kids,” researcher Jane Shawcroft said in a news release.
Following families over several years
To explore those connections, researchers analyzed data from Project M.E.D.I.A., a long-term study conducted by Brigham Young University. The project followed children across six different points in time, beginning around age 2.5 and continuing until they were about 7.5 years old.
The team tested three possible explanations:
First, they examined whether using screens to calm children influenced the development of executive function skills.
Second, they looked at whether children's existing cognitive abilities affected how often parents relied on screens for comfort.
Finally, they explored whether both processes happened simultaneously, with each influencing the other over time.
Researchers paid particular attention to two executive function skills: cognitive flexibility, which helps children adjust to changing situations and think through problems, and inhibitory control, which helps them resist impulsive reactions.
What the findings could mean for parents
For most families, researchers found that the relationship worked both ways. Children's behavior influenced how often parents used screens to soothe them, and that screen use was linked with changes in executive function over time, creating an ongoing cycle.
However, not every child fit that pattern. A small group of children showed different developmental relationships that researchers could not fully explain.
Another small group stood out because parents' use of screens appeared to influence cognitive development, but the children's cognitive skills did not predict parents' screen use. Parents in this group were also more likely to report higher levels of depression.
The researchers say these findings suggest that conversations about children's screen use shouldn't focus only on parents' choices. Families may also benefit from broader support, including resources that promote children's emotional development and services that support parents' mental health.
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all answer about screens, the study highlights that every family's circumstances can be different — and those differences matter.
“I really wish the narrative around children and tech would be less about ‘it’s just a parents’ job,’ and more about this shared responsibility we have as a society to support children in this context we’ve built for them,” Shawcroft said. “If we want kids to be OK, part of that is helping their parents to be OK.”