Unveiling the link: Screen dependency and sleep pattern disturbances in preadolescent children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Child Psychology
• Digital Well-being

Background:

• Preadolescent children (aged 9-12 years) are increasingly exposed to digital devices.
• Screen dependency is a growing concern, potentially affecting various aspects of child development.
• Sleep disturbances are common in children and can have significant health implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of sleep pattern disturbances among preadolescent children.
• To examine the association between screen dependency and sleep quality in this age group.
• To identify factors associated with sleep disturbances and screen dependency.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 preadolescent children (aged 9-12 years).
• Data were collected using the Digital Addiction Scale for Children (DASC) and the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) via structured interviews.
• Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were employed to assess associations.

Main Results:

• 42 out of 75 children exhibited screen dependency.
• Sleep disturbances were categorized as mild (31%), moderate (33%), and severe (36%) based on SQS scores.
• Significant associations were found between age and sleep disturbances (p<0.05) and religion and screen dependency (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Screen dependency is prevalent among preadolescent children and is linked to sleep disturbances.
• Age and religion are significant factors associated with sleep issues and screen dependency.
• Interventions are crucial to address screen-related sleep problems in preadolescents to promote healthy development.