Parent Mobile Phone Use in Playgrounds: A Paradox of Convenience
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Study Setting
2.3. Study Participants
2.4. Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection
2.4.1. Quantitative
2.4.2. Qualitative
2.5. Measures
- (1)
- MDU: this binary variable categorised minutes as either “No MDU” (0 s of MDU) or “MDU” (1–60 s of MDU).
- (2)
- MDU Mode: this variable categorised minutes as “Telephone call” (using the device telephone call function) “Scroll/type” (using the device touchscreen function), or “Camera” (using the device camera function).
- (3)
- MDU Duration: this variable categorised the summed MDU duration for each minute as “No MDU” (0 s of observed), “1–10 s”, “11–20 s”, “21–30 s”, “31–40 s”, “41–50 s”, “51–60 s” (of observed MDU).
- (1)
- Supervision: “Constant supervision” (caregiver watching, following, mediating, redirecting the child or remaining in close proximity); “Intermittent supervision” (caregiver sought visual contact with the child intermittently); “No supervision” (caregiver had no contact with the child).
- (2)
- Interaction: “Caregiver-child play” (caregiver and child play together), “Independent play” (child plays without caregiver), “Verbal interaction” (caregiver and/or child talking or calling to each other), “Hold/touch” (physical contact between caregiver and child), “Sitting/eating/drinking” (caregiver and child in close proximity having a drink or food).
- (3)
- Injury Potential: Child injury risk was measured using an adapted injury risk behaviour checklist developed by Dotson (2013). Injury potential was categorised as “Increased injury” potential (unsafe play behaviours, i.e., child passes within moving radius of equipment, child uses equipment in an unintended manner), “Decreased injury” potential (safe play behaviours, i.e., child takes precaution, child stops swing and dismounts) or “Inadequate carer supervision” (i.e., child moves out of view of caregiver, the caregiver does not give child direction on how to behave safely).
2.6. Analysis
2.6.1. Quantitative Data
2.6.2. Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Playground Observations
3.1.1. Participant Characteristics
3.1.2. Mobile Device Use—Mode and Duration
3.1.3. Caregiver Mobile Device Use and Caregiver Supervision
3.1.4. Caregiver Mobile Device Use and Caregiver–Child Interaction
3.1.5. Caregiver Mobile Device Use and Child Injury Potential
3.2. Playground Interviews
3.2.1. Participant Characteristics
3.2.2. Reported MDU Behaviours
3.2.3. Perspectives on Caregiver MDU
3.2.4. Convenience
3.2.5. Distraction
3.2.6. Security
3.2.7. Making Memories
3.2.8. Strategies for Limiting MDU around Children
4. Discussion
Strengths and Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Caregiver Supervision * | No MDU | MDU | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | % | n | % | n | % | |
Constant supervision | 511 | 43.6 | 165 | 45.8 | 676 | 44.1 |
Intermittent supervision | 600 | 51.2 | 89 | 24.7 | 689 | 45.0 |
No supervision | 61 | 5.2 | 106 | 29.4 | 167 | 10.9 |
Caregiver–Child Interaction * | No MDU | MDU | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | % | n | % | n | % | |
Caregiver–child play | 469 | 40.0 | 73 | 20.3 | 542 | 35.4 |
Verbal interaction | 244 | 20.8 | 80 | 22.2 | 324 | 21.1 |
Hold/touch | 75 | 6.4 | 11 | 3.1 | 86 | 5.6 |
Sitting/eating/drinking | 65 | 5.5 | 15 | 4.2 | 80 | 5.2 |
Independent play | 319 | 27.2 | 181 | 50.3 | 500 | 32.6 |
Child Injury Potential | No MDU | MDU | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | % | n | % | n | % | |
Decreased | 1105 | 94.3 | 281 | 78.1 | 1386 | 90.5 |
Increased | 67 | 5.7 | 79 | 21.9 | 146 | 9.5 |
1172 | 100.0 | 360 | 100.0 | 1532 | 100.0 |
Characteristic | n | % |
---|---|---|
Sex | ||
Female | 15 | 75 |
Male | 5 | 25 |
Age (years) | ||
25–29 | 4 | 20 |
30–34 | 9 | 45 |
35–39 | 3 | 15 |
40+ | 4 | 20 |
Country of birth | ||
Australia | 12 | 60 |
Other | 8 | 40 |
Highest level of education | ||
Year 12 or Equivalent | 1 | 5 |
Trade/Diploma | 5 | 25 |
Bachelor Degree or higher | 14 | 70 |
Working status | ||
In paid work | 10 | 50 |
Not in paid work | 10 | 50 |
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Bury, K.; Jancey, J.; Leavy, J.E. Parent Mobile Phone Use in Playgrounds: A Paradox of Convenience. Children 2020, 7, 284. https://doi.org/10.3390/children7120284
Bury K, Jancey J, Leavy JE. Parent Mobile Phone Use in Playgrounds: A Paradox of Convenience. Children. 2020; 7(12):284. https://doi.org/10.3390/children7120284
Chicago/Turabian StyleBury, Keira, Jonine Jancey, and Justine E. Leavy. 2020. "Parent Mobile Phone Use in Playgrounds: A Paradox of Convenience" Children 7, no. 12: 284. https://doi.org/10.3390/children7120284