Quality content in digital apps: Assessing infant development, parenting, and child care aspects

Abstract

Parent's use of apps to support their parenting is on the rise.New parents have unique challenges since they might feel unprepared to raise their children.They might rely on mobile programs, or "apps," and the Internet to help them deal with the challenges of daily parenthood.In the past, extended families provided support to young parents in raising children, but with the shift towards nuclear families, traditional parenting assistance is often unavailable.Consequently, there is a lack of spontaneous teaching and learning processes, leaving parents with insufficient knowledge of common childcare practices.The main objective of this study was to conduct a systematic analysis of infant parenting apps regarding available information about infant development, infant parenting and child care aspects.For analyzing various infant parenting apps, 40 apps were downloaded and installed on an Android phone available for free download on the Google Play Store.Each app was used and then individually assessed by the researcher for its content and quality on the various criteria using a self-structured schedule.The majority of the apps did not have information on infant development, parenting and child care.These apps provide information that is insufficient and not easy to understand.The information is in English language only.The findings of this unique analysis highlight that the information provided in the app is insufficient and lacks credibility.