Mother’s attitude towards preschool children’s smartphone usage according to child variables

Abstract

The use of technology by children and adolescents has garnered considerable interest from researchers in the 21st century, particularly regarding mobile phone usage. The exposure of toddlers and preschoolers to smartphones is also growing quickly. Nevertheless, smartphone usage among children has both beneficial and detrimental effects. The beneficial aspects include enhancing communication abilities, gaining knowledge, and effectively utilizing technology. Conversely, the adverse effects include mental strain, time drain, heightened sedentary habits, obesity, disturbed sleep cycles, and developmental challenges. Few studies have been carried out on the impact of smartphone use among children both nationally and internationally; the majority of the research focuses on adolescent age groups. In the light of these perspectives, the present study was undertaken to find the relation among mother’s attitude towards preschool children’s smartphone usage according to child variables. A sample of 60 mothers of preschool children aged 2-6 years old from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh state were selected for the study. Parental Attitude towards Preschool Children’s Smartphone Usage Scale was used to elicit the data. The results revealed that there was a significant relation between mother’s attitude towards preschool children’s smartphone usage and child variables.