A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics finds that parental technology use in their child’s presence — referred to as “technoference” — is consistently linked with poorer developmental outcomes in children under the age of five.
Reviewing 21 studies involving 14,900 participants across 10 countries, the researchers report that parental device use is associated with lower cognitive abilities, weaker attachment, fewer prosocial behaviors, increased emotional and behavioral problems, and increased screen time among children.
The study was led by Marcelo Toledo-Vargas, a researcher at the University of Wollongong in Australia, along with colleagues Kar Hau Chong, Claudia Maddren, and Anthony Okely, all affiliated with the university’s Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities. In summarizing their findings, the team wrote:
“Parental technology use in their child’s presence was significantly associated with poorer cognition and prosocial behavior, lower attachment, higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems, and higher levels of screen time.”
The findings highlight how everyday parenting is being shaped by broader social and technological forces, not just individual choices. By framing “technoference” as a developmental risk, the study underscores how industry-driven attention economies place structural burdens on families while pathologizing their effects in children.
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