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Use of Technological Devices and Their Parents’ Attitude and Behavior Among Kindergarten Children

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of technological devices and the attitudes and behaviors of the children registered in kindergartens in Edirne Provincial Center and to draw attention to the effects of parents on the use of technological devices on their children. Methods: The study included all 30 schools, including official and private kindergartens in the city center of Edirne, and kindergartens within primary schools, affiliated to the Edirne Provincial Directorate of National Education. The population of the study consists of the parents of 1892 children educated in these schools. An effort was made to reach the entire population. The questionnaire, consisting of 59 questions, was sent to all parents. 942 parents completed the questionnaire (49.7%). Results: In our study, 96.1% of children aged 3-6 were watching television (n=905), 40.4% were using computers (n=381), 54.7% were using tablets (n=515) and 84.5% were using smartphones (n=787). 5.7% of children had started using computer (n=54), 7.5% tablet (n=71), 12.2% smartphone (n=115), and 47.6% (n=449) watching television before the age of 2. It was found that 42.1% of the children had more than one hour of screen time per day. It was found that the child’s daily screen time increased as the TV stayed on at home (p<0.001) and the parent’s television viewing time (p=0.010) increased. Parents of children who did not use smartphones were found to use the smartphone for a shorter period of time (p=0.021). It was found that the child’s screen time increased as the parent’s smartphone usage time increased (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study found that a large proportion of children between the ages of 3-6 spend more than one hour a day in front of the screen. When looking at children’s exposure to screens before the age of 2, researchers found that, although the age at which children began watching television varied depending on the type of screen used, a significant number of children began doing so before the age of 2. It has been determined that parents’ behaviors related to technological devices significantly affect the screen time of the child and the age of starting to use technological devices. It was concluded that parents should be made aware of their children’s screen use.