| Abstract [eng] |
Screen Time and the Risk of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders in Preschool Children The spread of modern information technology to the routine of young children also increases the risk of their emotional and behavioural problems or even disorders. The aim of this research is to evaluate the connections between the time spent by one and a half - five years old children using foreground and background information technology (TV, smartphone, tablet, computer) and the risk of their emotional and behavioural disorders by also evaluating other intermediating factors. The present study investigates the data of 796 preschool age girls and boys, collected during the first stage of the continuous research "Electronic media use and young children's health". The data was collected using paper and electronic forms of the Child‘s Use of IT Devices, Development and Social Environment Questionnaire and Child Behaviour Checklist. The data analysis revealed that children at risk for emotional and behavioural disorders spend more screen time than non-at-risk children. Parental education is associated with children‘s screen time. Maternal education is associated with the risk of child‘s behavioural disorders. Children from families, who have experienced severe stress, are more likely to be at risk of behavioural and emotional disorders and spend more screen time. The risk of children's emotional disorders is predicted by family stress, and the risk of behavioural disorders is predicted by a child‘s use of a smartphone for more than 30 min. per day, maternal education, parental IT usage in order to calm or exhilarate the child and family stress. |
