Smart Device Usage-Related Factors are Correlated with Self-Regulation Ability in Early Childhood

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to measure mothers' parenting stress and the frequency of interaction between mother and child and determine the path whereby children's self-control affects the use of smart media in a preceding study. Methods: This study analyzed 7th-wave panel data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Study of 1,565 mothers and children using Structural Equation Modeling. Results: The results were as follows. First, the interactions between mother and child did not significantly affect the child's use of smart media. Second, the path to child self-control was significantly affected by a mother's parenting stress and child's use of smart media. Third, the frequency of mother-child interactions and the double mediating effects of the child's self-control were significant factors in the path between mother's parenting stress and the child's use of smart media. Conclusion: Not only does this study identify the pathways of the variables that have been verified for each individual effect so far, but it is also meaningful in that while the use of smart media by young children has so far been considered passive and controlled by adults, especially parents, our results reflect changes in their use as smart media continue to spread.

Structural Relationships Between Mothers’ Parenting Stress, Mother-Child Interactions, and Children’s Self-Control and Smart Media Use

JangJiwoo¹,

Hee²

2020

The Structural Relationship Between Mothers’ Smart Media Literacy, Smart Media Mediation, Young Children’s Overdependence on Smart Devices, and Executive Function

Lee¹,

Kim²

2022

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the structural relationships among mothers’ smart media literacy, smart media mediation, young children’s overdependence on smart devices, and executive function.Methods: The Participants comprised 205 children aged 3 to 5 years old, and their mothers. The Early Years Toolbox (EYT) was used to measure young children’s executive function. The data obtained were analyzed using Cronbach’s α, frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA analysis, and partial correlation analysis with SPSS 25.0. Bootstrapping was used to examine the mediating effect while the Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was performed using AMOS 22.0.Results: First, young children’s executive function was positively associated with mothers’ smart media literacy and smart media mediation but negatively associated with young children’s overdependence on smart devices. Second, mothers’ smart media mediation and young children’s overdependence on smart devices sequentially mediated the relationship between mothers’ smart media literacy and young children’s executive function. It was also found that mothers’ smart media mediation partially mediated the relationship between mothers’ smart media literacy and young children’s executive function.Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of mothers’ smart media literacy and smart media mediation for young children’s executive function and emphasize the need of prevention for overdependence on smart devices in facilitating executive function development in early childhood.

Effects of Parents’ Intention to Provide Smart Media on Children’s Smart Media Overdependence: Focusing on the Dual Mediating Effects of Parents’ Smart Media Mediation and Children’s Self-regulation

Shin¹,

Kim²

2023

Objectives: This study examined the dual mediating effects of parents’ smart media mediation(active mediation) and children’s self-regulation on the relationship between parents’ intention to provide smart media and children’s smart media overdependence.Methods: Data were collected from 514 parents of 5-year-old children who had previously used smart media. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and partial correlations were analyzed using JASP. Structural equation model(SEM) analysis was conducted using R Studio. Bootstrapping method was used to examine indirect effects.Results: First, parents’ smart media mediation(active mediation) had no partial mediating effect on the relationship between parents’ intention to provide smart media and children’s smart media overdependence. Second, children’s self-regulation had partial mediating effects on the relationship between parents’ intention to provide smart media and children’s smart media overdependence. Finally, parents’ smart media mediation(active mediation) and children’s self-regulation had dual mediating effects on the influence of parents’ intention to provide smart media on children's smart media overdependence.Conclusion: To reduce children’s long-term smart media overdependence, it is necessary to develop selfregulation that allows the independent and active use of smart media. Therefore, parents must determine their intentions to provide smart media to their children, avoid convenience intention, and reinforce their educational intention to provide smart media. Nevertheless, parents should develop self-regulation in their children through appropriate mediation, where they discuss rules, negative situations, and safe use.