Review of Research on the Relationship Between Digital Technology Use and Child Development

Abstract

This review paper aims to present the results of recent research on the relation between the use of digital technology and children's development. The paper describes the importance of the topic and gives a systematic overview of empirical research on the topic of the paper. The results of recent research show that the use of digital technology in children is associated, albeit low to moderate, with their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. The content that is viewed, created, and listened to through digital technology devices and the time and circumstances of children's use of digital technology determine whether the effects of the use of digital technology on children's development will be positive or negative. This review of current research indicates the need to further examine the factors that may mediate and/or moderate the relationship between the use of digital technology and children's development, and the need to develop a theoretical framework to integrate current knowledge and direct future research in the field.

Time Spent Using Digital Technology, Loneliness and Well-Being Among Three Cohorts of Adolescent Girls and Boys – A Moderated Mediation Analysis

“…Numerous studies have found time spent using DT is associated with various negative well-being and psychological outcomes, such as lower levels of perceived life quality, school life satisfaction and self-esteem as well as higher levels of reported anxiety and depression symptoms (e.g., Forte et al, 2023). Studies in the Croatian context corroborate these findings (Bilić, 2023;Perić et al, 2022;. Furthermore, longitudinal studies suggest that changes in total recreational screen time are negatively associated with adolescents' psychological well-being (Babic et al, 2017).…”

“…The decision to conduct cohort specific analytical procedures was informed by the knowledge of differing organisational structures and functioning of educational institutions at different levels and a wish to inform targeted policy measures aimed at different stages of adolescence in the Croatian context. To our knowledge, it is one of the few studies (and the first study in Croatia) exploring this issue across three cohorts at different stages of adolescence and, therefore, addresses a need for such research in the national context (Perić et al, 2022).…”

Cognitive-motivation strategies of learning regulation on the example of the fantasy novel Pinocchio

“…According to the interviewed teachers, there are multiple reasons for this: • Children's unrealistic self-images caused by an overprotective upbringing in the family, • Insufficient voluntary attention and perseverance, due to the prevailing "infantilized model of the child" ("they are small, they do not understand"), • Lack of adequate work culture (everything is dealt with at the "story/lesson" level, not the action-oriented one), • The dominance of goal orientations stemming from the external locus of control and external "regulators" of behavior, as well as pronounced instrumentalised behavior and learning ("adults always know better, listen, do not think"), • Disregarding individual differences among children ("goals are the same for everyone at a certain age"), • Insufficient reading literacy and uncontrolled spending of time with digital content can also lead to lower achievement, poorer skills and communication (Perić et al, 2022).…”