Investigation of the effects of digital games on 5-6 year old children and children's peer play behaviors

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of digital games on 5-6 year old children and children's peer play behaviors in terms of different variables. The sample of the study consisted of the parents (n=300) of 5-6 year old children receiving education in kindergartens and preschools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Çankırı city center. The data of the study were collected with "Personal Information Form", "The Effects of Digital Games at Early Ages Scale" and "Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale-Parent Form". In the analysis of the research data, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficient test were used. As a result of the research, the effects of digital games in early childhood differ significantly (p<.05) according to the child's gender, age, number of siblings, birth order, duration of preschool education, game preference, parents' education level, children's and parents' digital game playing status, and parents' daily time spent with electronic devices such as tablet/mobile phone/computer. It was found that there was a significant difference between children's peer play behaviors and the child's gender, birth order, game preference, duration of preschool education, the person with whom the child mostly plays, parental education level, the time children and parents spend daily with electronic devices such as tablets/mobile phones/computers, and parents' digital game playing status (p<.05). In addition, there was a positive and significant difference between the fun sub-dimension of the "Effects of Digital Games in Early Years Scale" and the "game disruption" and "disconnection from the game" sub dimensions of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale, and a positive and significant difference between the learning sub-dimension of the Effects of Digital Games in Early Years Scale and the game interaction sub-dimension of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale, A negative and significant relationship was found between the physical, social and emotional sub-dimensions of the Effects of Digital Games in Early Years Scale and the game interaction sub-dimension of the Penn Interactive Peer Game Scale, and a positive and significant relationship was found between the "game disruption" and "disconnection from the game" sub-dimensions (p<. 05).