The study chosen will receive £100,000 in funding and work with families to understand when and why the issue occurs.
The Princess of Wales’ early years centre is providing £100,000 of research funding to find solutions to help parents tackle distractions caused by gadgets that hamper family life.
Kate’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood wants researchers to submit proposals to combat what has been called “technoference” that can disrupt parent-child relationships.
The study chosen will receive £100,000 in funding and work with families across the UK to understand when and why the issue occurs and test practical ways to reduce its impact, with the findings used to shape resources for professionals such as health visitors and early years educators.
Kate warned about the “epidemic of disconnection” created by smartphones and other gadgets in an essay published last month which she co-wrote, and urged society to “invest in the relationships you have with each other”.
Christian Guy, executive director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said: “There have been numerous studies about how digital devices impact relationships, but there is currently a lack of evidence about what is causing people to turn to their digital devices at times when it is interrupting family life and, importantly, how to help people reduce this unwanted interference.
“The centre is seeking to address these gaps in research so we find the solutions to make a real difference to families’ lives.”
Kate aired her concerns about problems posed by modern technology at the expense of family life in an essay written in collaboration with Professor Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development.
Focusing on good connections with family and friends was the key to a healthy and happy life, said the princess, who took the lead in the article, and helping children develop “strong social and emotional skills” would equip them to maintain positive relationships for decades.
They added: “While new technology has many benefits, we must also acknowledge that it plays a complex and often troubling role in this epidemic of disconnection.
“While digital devices promise to keep us connected, they frequently do the opposite.
“Our smartphones, tablets, and computers have become sources of constant distraction, fragmenting our focus and preventing us from giving others the undivided attention that relationships require.
“We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds.
“We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.”
