Commentary: The real (?) effect of smartphone use on parenting – a commentary on Modecki et al. (2020)

Abstract

A recent publication by Modecki and colleagues asserts that ‘more [smart]phone use was associated with higher parenting quality’. Modecki and colleagues make their generalistic concluding statement in contradiction to an increasingly conflicting research corpus, and we suggest that a more cautious interpretation of their data would be beneficial. This study used a cross-sectional convenience sample; however elsewhere, research questions the ability of participants to accurately estimate their own smartphone use. Further, one-sided reports of two-sided attachment relationships may be unreliable. A useful addition to the paper would have been the inclusion and stratification of demographic information about the children whose parents were surveyed. With Modecki and colleagues seeking to describe the ‘real effect’ of smartphones on parenting, the age, stage and needs of the children studied remained largely silent. Modecki and colleagues wisely encourage us to ask more nuanced questions in our research. We wholly agree, but also urge researchers to be more nuanced in our research designs and understanding of its implications for all within the parent:child relationship.