An examination of the relationship between children's screen usage characteristics, digital game addiction tendency, social competence and behavior status, and parental mediation

The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between preschool children screen usage characteristics, digital game addiction tendencies, social competence and behavior status and parental mediation. The correlational survey model was used in the research. The participants of the study consisted of a total 330 mothers whose their children's attending preschool education institutions. "Personal Information Form", "Screen Usage Form", "Digital Game Addiction Tendency", "Social Competence and Behavior Rating Scale- 30" and "Digital Play Parent Guidance Strategies" were used to collect the data of the study. In the given analysis, descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance and correlation were applied. The findings obtained from the research show that children use the screen mostly in the first childhood years and alone, and the daily screen usage time is mostly in the range of 1-2 hours. It has been determined that children's digital game preferences differ according to gender, boys consume more action\adventure, arcade\reflex, sports, racing\speed games compared to girls, and girls consume more simulation\role games and educational games compared to boys. It is understood that the digital game addiction tendencies of the children who use the screen alone are higher than the children who use the screen with their family members, but the age of starting to use the screen does not make a difference in the digital game addiction tendency of the children. It has been determined that the guidance strategies applied by the parents differ significantly according to the age of children starting screen use, with whom they use the screen and screen time. It was determined that the social competence behavior status of the children differed significantly according to the age at which they started using the screen and with whom they used the screen, but did not differ significantly according to the screen time. Another finding obtained from the study shows that there is a positive and significant relationship between children's screen content consumption scores and their digital game propensity scores, and that there is a positive significant relationship between children's content consumption scores and their parents' digital-directing and free guidance strategies. Keywords: Preschool children, screen use, digital game, digital game addiction, social competence, parental mediation