1. THE IMPACT OF EXTENDED SCREEN TIME ON THE COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN.
- Author
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Loghin, Tudor-Alexandru and Man, Lidia
- Subjects
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BEHAVIORAL assessment , *DIGITAL technology , *COGNITIVE testing , *SCREEN time , *CONFERENCES & conventions , *CHILD development , *TIME - Abstract
Background: With the advent of the internet and digitalization, a new challenge has emerged: the increasing amount of screen time in the early stages of life. This can be a significant problem that can have numerous adverse effects on children's normal development. Objective: This study aims to investigate the amount of screen time and digital exposure in children and to observe the relationship between screen time and behavioural changes. Material and methods: The study involved 308 children from different age groups. The data was collected through an online survey using Google Forms, which the parents had to complete for their children. The survey consisted of 30 questions aimed at identifying data related to demographics, exposure to screens and effects of the exposure. The data was then analysed using Microsoft Office Excel 2021 and SPSS applying the Pearson-R. Results: Most of the children, 251 out of 308 (81.5%), were from urban areas, while 57 (18.5%) were from rural areas. Mothers tend to be better educated than fathers. Specifically, 226 mothers (73.3%) had completed higher education (college, master's degree, or doctorate), whereas only 176 fathers (57%) had done so. Only 35.4% (109) of parents used parental control software on their children's devices. Additionally, 64.3% (198) tended to copy the behaviour seen in the digital environment. Most parents (73.7%) want to reduce the amount of screen time their children consume. Statistically significant correlations were found between native environment (urban or rural) and the amount of daily screen-time (r=0,172; p=0,002). Conclusions: Children from rural areas were more prone to a increased screen exposure. The issue of excessive screen time for children is a concern that many parents are well aware of. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024