Use of digital technologies by preschool children: general aspects and correlation with different domains affecting learning

Abstract

The exposure and use of screens by children have become a global concern, especially after the advent of mobile devices (e.g., tablets and smartphones), which facilitate access to multiple digital media, often without adult supervision. Preschool children (with typical or atypical development) are the most vulnerable, but little is known about the effects of this usage in different domains of development within this age group. In Brazil, there is limited research on this topic, and most of it is conducted through online surveys, restricting participation to higher-income families with full internet access. The overall goal of this research is to gather information about screen use/exposure among preschool children with typical development and those diagnosed with Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as information from their parents and teachers. Furthermore, the aim is to identify correlations between the quantity and context of screen use, both in the family and school settings, and the language development and school engagement of preschool children with typical development. Six hundreds caregivers (parents or grandmothers) of children aged 0 to 71 months will participate, including 500 caregivers of children with typical development and 100 parents of children with ID and ASD, enrolled in public and private schools. Additionally, 300 children aged 24 to 71 months with typical development and 50 Early Childhood Education teachers from public and private schools will participate.Caregivers will complete a questionnaire about their own and their child's screen use. Teachers will answer a questionnaire about their own screen use and the use of screens during their work with children. Three hundred children will be assessed for their language development, and out of these, 50 will be filmed during school activities (narrating a story and engaging in free interaction with peers) to evaluate their school engagement.An exploratory data analysis will characterize how and to what extent children use digital technologies at home and school, with comparisons based on usage time and patterns (at home and school; families with different incomes and educational levels; different age groups of children; and public and private schools). Two multiple linear regression models will be developed, with the performance of typically developing children in language tests and school engagement as the dependent variables. (AU)