A parental perspective on apps for young children

Abstract

Touchscreen applications (apps) for young children have seen increasingly high rates of growth with more than a hundred thousand now available apps. As with other media, parents play a key role in young children's app selection and use. However, to date, we know very little about how parents select apps for their children. Guided by uses and gratification theory, a survey was conducted with 600 Dutch parents who had at least one child between three and seven years old. Across two studies, we identified parents' most important needs that drive their selection of children's apps as well as the extent to which these needs differ by parenting style. Results indicate five overarching parental needs when it comes to children's apps, and confirm that these needs vary by parenting style. Findings offer important insight into how parents select apps for their children.

App features that fulfill parents’ needs in apps for children

“…The survey data were collected by a large research institute in the Netherlands (GfK). This data collection was part of a larger project from which other data have been published elsewhere ( Broekman et al, 2016 ). Parents were recruited through GfK’s existing online panel (approximately 50,000 households) that is representative of the Netherlands.…”

“…In order to maximize the likelihood of parents selecting particular apps, it is crucial that these features map onto the expressed needs of parents. Research has shown that parents have specific needs when it comes to selecting apps for their child ( Broekman et al, 2016 ). First, and most prominent, they desire apps that are entertaining but at the same time foster independent play (need for independent entertainment).…”

“…It is not surprising then, that media needs are not universal. Many studies have shown that media needs vary by individual characteristics ( Broekman et al, 2016 ; Rubin, 2009 ). For example, parenting style, one of the most important characteristics of parents, is associated with the extent to which parents express certain needs in apps for their child ( Broekman et al, 2016 ).…”

“…Many studies have shown that media needs vary by individual characteristics ( Broekman et al, 2016 ; Rubin, 2009 ). For example, parenting style, one of the most important characteristics of parents, is associated with the extent to which parents express certain needs in apps for their child ( Broekman et al, 2016 ). Specifically, parents who employ an authoritative parenting style, characterized by warmth and involvement, want their child to have an enjoyable self-guided experience to support their child’s autonomy, but at the same time, believe that this experience will be healthiest when they can play a role in structuring the educational messages and when the content best fits their child’s unique needs.…”

“…As uses and gratifications (U&G) theory posits, people tend to select media as a function of their psychological needs ( Katz, Blumler, & Gurevitch, 1973 ; Rubin, 2009 ). Indeed, when parents select apps for their young children, they are typically looking to fulfill one or more of their own needs (referred to as parent-centered needs) as well as the perceived needs of their child (referred to as child-centered needs; Broekman, Piotrowski, Beentjes, & Valkenburg, 2016 ).…”