Resource Roundup #3

Resources for Promoting Effective Smartphone Use and Digital Wellness

Author

Lisa Golds
June 27, 2025

Welcome to Let’s Connect: A newsletter from Dr Lisa Golds, Innovation Fellow at The University of Edinburgh, that brings you up-to-date information about effective parental smartphone use, positive device habits, and digital wellness!

Smartphone use can be a sensitive topic and a number of stories have recently been seen across the media discussing both the benefits and drawbacks of our relationship with our phones, and with device use in general. Whatever your opinion on smartphone use, one thing we know is these devices are here to stay! As smartphones become more necessary to our everyday lives, empowering people to engage with healthy device use habits and digital wellness is critical. Parents, and especially new parents, are often reliant on their phones for accessing information, support, and every now and then, a chance to recharge. As an Innovation Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, my research focuses on empowering parents to foster positive device habits for themselves and their newborn babies.

In this newsletter, I have brought together a number of resources, including open access research focused on parents’ smartphone use around their babies, webinars devoted to the concept of technoference, and interesting ways for some parents to get their opinions heard on some of these matters.

If you would like to contact me for a chat, or to share any resources in the next newsletter - please do get in touch!

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Infants Recognise the Negative Impact of Phone Distraction on Performance

A recently published article suggests that infants, aged 20 months old, may understand that using a phone, either for calling or scrolling, is likely to distract adults from tasks that they are performing.

The study showed that after adults built block towers while also using a phone, infants appeared surprised if the adult built a higher tower than someone who was not using a phone while completing the same task.

These results are useful in understanding how infants perceive adult smartphone use, and may suggest that even young infants expect that their parents’ attention will be distracted while they are using their phones.

This article is open access

Maternal Media Use and Infant Media Exposure are Associated with Developmental Outcomes at 4 and 8 months

Many studies suggest that infant media exposure is associated with poorer social emotional and language development outcomes. This recent study, however, suggests there may also be some positive impacts of early digital exposure, depending on the context in which this happens.

These results are useful for understanding the complex balance that exists when using technology devices with infants. Time spent on devices, as well as purpose for use, are important to consider when discussing tech use with new parents.

This article is open access

There is a wealth of information around effective smartphone use - almost to the point of overwhelm! In this newsletter, I aim to bring you a catalogue of useful resources, including podcasts and webinars specifically informing parents about the benefits of digital wellness, for both themselves and their babies.

This episode from the Ask the Experts webinar series from the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, a number of researchers in the field discuss the impact of smartphones on parent-infant relationships.

At just under 90 minutes, this webinar looks at smartphone use across the child’s lifespan, providing useful information and advice to parents who may be struggling with balance, guilt, and creating routines for all family members.

The Butterfly Baby Clinic provides educational resources to parents throughout the perinatal period.

Often, parents will want to take some time to themselves. Finding time to relax is critical and for many parents, this might look like scrolling through their phone. Mindful meditations are an alternative way to take a break and recharge while parenting.

There are just a few days left to take part in the The Dads Survey 2025, produced by Fathers Network Scotland. This survey enables dads across Scotland to make their voices heard, surrounding issues such as mental health, family relationships, as well as insights into dads’ attitudes to digital device use, and how they are spending time with their children.

Take part in the Dads Survey 2025 here

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