The impact of digital parenting attitudes on children'sdigital screen exposure and social-behavioral outcomes

This study was conducted to examine the effects of digital parenting attitudes on children's digital screen exposure and their social-behavioral development. The research was carried out using a descriptive and relational survey model. The population consisted of parents of children aged 3–6 years registered at three family health centers in Boğazlıyan district, Yozgat province. The sample was completed with 274 parents who participated voluntarily. Data were collected between January and June 2024. The data collection tools included the "Child-Family Information Form," the "Child Screen Exposure Assessment Questionnaire," the "Child Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale," and the "Parental Attitude Scale on Technology Use." Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.It was determined that children who began screen use after 13 months of age had lower anxiety levels (p<0.05). Additionally, children who used screens for 31–60 minutes daily had higher social competence scores (p<0.05), whereas when screen time exceeded 60 minutes, scores for anger-aggression and anxiety-withdrawal increased (p<0.05). Higher levels of anger-aggression and anxiety-withdrawal were also observed in children who watched adult content, became angry when screens were taken away, and selected their own videos (p<0.05). According to regression analysis, parental attitudes toward technology use significantly predicted children's social-behavioral outcomes. Specifically, 28% of the variance in social competence scores, 17% in anger-aggression scores, and 12% in anxiety-withdrawal scores were explained by these variables (p<0.05). The study revealed that digital parenting attitudes have significant effects on children's screen exposure and social-behavioral development. In this context, it is recommended that pediatric nurses and relevant health professionals provide education and guidance to parents to support children's balanced use of digital media.