| Abstract [eng] |
The literature considers the potential harm or benefit of using devices with screens for primary school-age children, their various abilities and academic achievements, taking into account the length of time spent on screens and the type of screen activities. However, the overall significance of these variables on children's academic achievement is rarely examined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlations between 6-11-year-old children's visual-motor abilities, the amount of time spent in front of screens, parents' rules for using devices with screens, and children's academic achievements, as reported by parents. Data on 106 children (53 boys and 53 girls) from the scientific research project "Long-term impact of screens on children's physical and mental health" (2020-2022; agreement no. (1.80 E) SU–2498; financed by the VSSF under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania; led by Prof. Dr. R. Jusienė) were used in this study. Data on children's sociodemographic characteristics, academic achievements, use of devices with screens were collected by interviewing parents. The Bender-Gestalt-II test was used to assess children's visual-motor abilities. The results of the study revealed that children's academic achievements reported by parents are positively related to visual-motor abilities, and negatively related to the length of time spent in front of screens for entertainment purposes. Visual-motor skills are negatively related to the length of time spent in front of screens for entertainment purposes. It has also been found that children who use screens more for learning than for entertainment and who have high visual-motor abilities have higher parent-reported academic achievement. The main prognostic factor for parent-reported children's academic achievement is the duration of screen time for entertainment purposes. The results of this study are valuable in order to better understand what factors significantly contribute to explaining the academic achievements of children aged 6-11 years. |
