Internet Guidance on Time Out

Abstract

Objective Pediatricians are frequently asked to address parents’ behavioral concerns. Time out (TO) is one of the few discipline strategies with empirical support and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, correctly performed, TO can be a complex procedure requiring training difficult to provide in clinic due to time and cost constraints. The Internet may be a resource for parents to supplement information provided by pediatricians. The present study included evaluation of information on TO contained in websites frequently accessed by parents. It was hypothesized that significant differences exist between the empirically supported parameters of TO and website-based information. Methods Predefined search terms were entered into commonly used search engines. The information contained in each webpage (n = 102) was evaluated for completeness and accuracy based on research on TO. Data were also collected on the consistency of information about TO on the Internet. Results None of the pages reviewed included accurate information about all empirically supported TO parameters. Only 1 parameter was accurately recommended by a majority of webpages. Inconsistent information was found within 29% of the pages. The use of TO to decrease problem behavior was inaccurately portrayed as possibly or wholly ineffective on 30% of webpages. Conclusions A parent searching for information about TO on the Internet will find largely incomplete, inaccurate, and inconsistent information. Since nonadherence to any 1 parameter will decrease the efficacy of TO, it is not recommended that pediatricians suggest the Internet as a resource for supplemental information on TO. Alternative recommendations for pediatricians are provided.

Internet Addiction Among Male Adolescents in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

“…Many parents are unaware of the effects of IA among adolescents ( Wu et al, 2016 ). Owing to the lack of knowledge, parents may inadvertently promote excessive online activities (such as online gaming) by the children; in addition, lack of parental attention and interaction may also act as aggravating factors in promoting IA ( Drayton et al, 2014 ; Schneider et al, 2017 ). Moreover, family conflict also causes adolescents to seek diversion to the internet, which can lead to addiction ( Schneider et al, 2017 ).…”

Toward evidence-informed child rearing: Measurement of time-out implementation in a community sample

“…Recent research that examined TO implementation has included surveys of parents (Riley et al, 2017) and reviews of website information on TO (Drayton et al, 2014). A qualitative survey of 400 parents from the USA found that although a majority of parents reported using TO, many procedural elements were implemented incorrectly, and this was associated with parents' perception that TO was ineffective (Riley et al, 2017).…”

“…A qualitative survey of 400 parents from the USA found that although a majority of parents reported using TO, many procedural elements were implemented incorrectly, and this was associated with parents' perception that TO was ineffective (Riley et al, 2017). When parents viewed TO as ineffective, it was likely to be replaced with more harsh or coercive strategies (Drayton et al, 2014) or permissive parenting strategies. A review of 102 webpages on TO found that none included accurate information on empirically supported TO parameters (Drayton et al, 2014).…”

COVID-19 Highlights Need for Accessible Parent Training: The Role of Pediatrics and Technology

“…5 While online parenting information is plentiful (e.g., googling "help with child behavior problems" leads to over 600 million results), the degree to which available information is research-informed is highly variable. For instance, in 2015, Drayton et al 6 reviewed internet-based information about the common disciplinary practice time-out. 3 They found none of the websites provided information about time-out that is consistent with the evidence-based procedure; some webpages also described time-out as ineffective.…”