Navigating digital parenting: a bibliometric exploration of trends on children’s digital soothing practices

Abstract

The digital age has transformed parenting practices, with an increasing reliance on digital devices for managing children’s behavior, particularly as calming tools. This study addresses the growing phenomenon of digital parenting, highlighting its implications on child development and family dynamics. Despite the benefits of digital media, concerns persist regarding its overuse for emotional regulation, which may impede children’s self-regulation skills and parent-child interactions. This study aims to explore the evolution of research on digital parenting using bibliometric analysis. A comprehensive dataset was extracted from the Scopus database, focusing on publications from 2020 to 2024 within the Social Sciences domain. The inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed, open-access articles written in English. A systematic methodology ensured the analysis of performance metrics, trends, and co-authorship patterns. Results indicate a significant increase in scholarly attention to digital parenting, with 837 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Leading contributions emerged from journals such as Sustainability Switzerland and Education Sciences, with prolific authors and institutions from the United Kingdom and the United States dominating the field. The analysis underscores the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, reflecting contributions from education, media studies, and child development. This study offers valuable theoretical insights and practical recommendations, emphasizing balanced digital media use and informed parenting strategies to foster healthier family dynamics.