Fostering Screen-Free Emotion Regulation in Generation Alpha: An Age-Stratified Focus Group Study of Developmental Shifts in Tantrum Management

Abstract

Background: Generation Alpha is growing up in a device-saturated environment where device-dependent tantrum soothing is an early entry point into later screen and behavioral addiction, since poor childhood self-regulation predicts addiction decades later. Purpose: As part of developing a Javanese local wisdom parenting framework, this needs-assessment phase compared caregiver experiences with toddler and preschooler tantrums. By identifying key developmental targets for self-regulation, the study provides an empirical foundation to inform future local wisdom based interventions as an alternative to gadget-dependent soothing. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used two age-stratified focus group discussions with reflexive thematic analysis. Participants were 16 purposively sampled caregivers in Jember, Indonesia: 8 caregivers of toddlers (1.5-3 years) and 8 of preschoolers (3.1-4.5 years), with audio-recorded, group-coded transcripts. Results: Analysis yielded four toddler themes and five preschool themes, synthesized into five comparative themes spanning emotion regulation, gadgets as control versus instant soother, meaningful-activity substitution, nutritional fulfillment, and parent-child dynamics, revealing a continuum from externally regulated, gadget-assisted soothing toward child-initiated coping, negotiated screen use, and egalitarian communication. Conclusions: Tantrum-management strategies shift from externally regulated soothing toward dialogic, autonomy-supportive approaches. Community and family health nurses should stage self-regulation counseling by developmental phase and operationalize the findings from this study as an initial, evidence-based reference point for a future local-wisdom family nursing strategy during home visits, supporting an addiction-free Generation Alpha.