--- title: Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It | TIME description: Researchers from the University of California, Irvine say kids shown 'fragmented' attention by their mothers could develop emotional problems. canonical: https://time.com/video/JRbWnxjg/ og:title: Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It og:description: Researchers from the University of California, Irvine say kids shown 'fragmented' attention by their mothers could develop emotional problems. og:url: https://time.com/video/JRbWnxjg/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/JRbWnxjg/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It twitter:description: Researchers from the University of California, Irvine say kids shown 'fragmented' attention by their mothers could develop emotional problems. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/JRbWnxjg/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It [Watch (HLS stream): Put Away Your Smartphone; Your Kids' Health Might Depend On It](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/JRbWnxjg.m3u8) (1:15)  _Published 2016-01-07. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine say kids shown 'fragmented' attention by their mothers could develop emotional problems._ --- Jul 27, 2023 7:25 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Fragments](/video/lyyGbgrx/) ### Fragments [A Philippine Airport Might Be Putting Bullets In Luggage](/video/XxRcZr3s/) ### A Philippine Airport Might Be Putting Bullets In Luggage [America, We Might Have A Pumpkin Problem](/video/554GU2rt/) ### America, We Might Have A Pumpkin Problem --- ## Transcript We know children require a lot of attention but happens if you don't pay attention to how much attention you're really giving them. A new study out of the University of California, Irvine says devoting more attention to your smartphones than your children could mean they'll have improper brain development and emotional disorders later in life. The study published in general translational psychiatry book at two groups of rats One group in normal caged conditions and the other in more chaotic conditions. While maternal care for both groups was similar, the chaotic conditions had mothers displaying unpredictable behavior. The distracted mothers' rodent pups showed little interest in sweet foods or playing with others. To signs of the pup's inability to experience pleasure. The researchers suggest in human children neglect might lead to risky behavior including drugs and alcohol and can lead to depression later in life. The mother The rats of course weren't busy on their cell phones but the researchers say the study shows it is not how much maternal care that influences adolescent behavior but the avoidance of fragmented and unpredictable care that is crucial. The researchers say it all boils down to the brain's dopamine receptors. 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