Digital Addiction in Children and Affecting Factors

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Digital tools are increasingly integrated into daily life, with children encountering them at younger ages.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of digital tools among children.
• Growing concerns exist regarding the negative impacts of digital tools on child development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of digital addiction among secondary school students in Northern Cyprus.
• To identify key factors influencing digital addiction levels in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional, and methodological study design was employed.
• Data were collected from 844 students across seven randomly selected primary and secondary schools in Northern Cyprus.
• The "Digital Addiction Scale for Children" was utilized to assess addiction levels.

Main Results:

• Students scored an average of 48.12 ± 17.46 on the Digital Addiction Scale for Children.
• Significant correlations were found between digital addiction and gender, economic status, age, internet usage reasons, device ownership (cell phone, computer), duration of use, mother's education, and residence.
• All identified factors demonstrated a statistically significant impact (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Digital addiction is a notable issue among secondary school students in Northern Cyprus.
• Multiple demographic and usage-related factors significantly contribute to digital addiction.
• Increased awareness and parental supervision are recommended to mitigate the negative effects of digital tools on children.