Investigation of the relationship between intelligence levels and social skills of early childhood children and parenting and digital parenting attitudes of families

Preschool stage is a period in which children exhibit rapid development of their intelligence and social skills and their interaction with the family is the most intense. The relationship between parents and their children changes under the influence of advances in digital technologies. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of parenting attitudes and digital parenting attitudes of the families on the intelligence levels and social skills of the children attending preschool institutions, the relationship between different parenting attitudes and digital parenting, the opinions of teachers and parents on the effects of use of technological tools on children's social skills and intelligence levels, and metaphorical perceptions of children about technological tools. In this study, carried out in the 2018-2019 academic year, the mixed method was used for reasons of variation, complementarity, and extension. Thus, a mixed method with a fully mixed sequential equal status design was used. The quantitative data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Parents Attitude Scale, Digital Parenting Attitude Scale, the Social Skill Assessment Scale, and the Draw a Person test, and after the analysis of quantitative data, the collection of qualitative data started. In determining the sample for the study, a multi-stage sampling was carried out by using stratified purposive sampling, criterion sampling and maximum diversity methods. The sample of the quantitative part of the study consisted of 378 preschool children attending 8 schools with different characteristics in the provinces of Bursa and Istanbul, as well as their parents. In the qualitative part of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 parents from each school (24 parents in total) with different parenting styles selected based on the quantitative data, 16 preschool teachers working in the schools in question, and the children who participated in the quantitative section of the study (to determine their metaphorical perceptions) using the semi-structured interview forms prepared by the researcher. For the quantitative data analysis, parametric analyses, namely Pearson correlation, independent groups t test, dependent groups t test, ANOVA, chi-square, and Tukey were computed using the IBM SPSS Statistics (version 24.0) software package. Using the AMOS 24.0 program, the scales used in the study were adapted to pre-school period by using Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the scales, Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Digital Parenting Attitude Scale, and test-retest methods. The effect of parenting attitudes and digital parenting attitudes of the families of children attending pre-school education on the intelligence and social skills of their children were examined through structural equation modeling. Content analysis was used for the analysis of qualitative data. In order to ensure the validity and reliability of the qualitative data various, internal validity, variation and expert examination were performed, whereas, detailed description and purposive sampling were used to ensure external validity. Consistency examination was used to ensure internal reliability while confirmation examination was performed to ensure external reliability. According to the findings of the study, the following results were obtained: The social skill and intelligence scores of the girls were significantly higher than those of the boys; the verbal explanation skills scores of the children who received preschool education for 2 years were significantly higher than those who received preschool education for 1 year; the social skill scores of the children who belong to medium level socio-economic families were significantly higher than those of the children who belong to families of lower socio-economic levels; the social skill scores of the children whose families lived in Bursa were significantly higher than those of the children whose families lived in Istanbul; the intelligence scores of children who use the technological tools several times a week were significantly higher than those of the children who use the technological tools a few times a month and who almost always play; the intelligence scores of the children who belong to parents from medium or high level socio-economic status were significantly higher than those of the children with parents at low level socio-economic status. It was also found that there was not a statistically significant difference in the social skill levels of the children according to the educational status and age of the parents, and the time children spend using technological tools; in addition, the social skill levels of children were not found to show any statistically significant difference according to the type of preschool education institution where the children were educated while there was a difference according to the schools they received education. When the intelligence levels were analyzed according to the educational status, age, city, duration of pre-school education, and the type of school where they received education, no statistically significant difference was observed while there was a statistically significant difference according to the school they received education. The subscale scores of mothers for protection from digital media risks and democratic attitude, and subscale scores of fathers for approval of effective use of digital media were significantly high; overprotective attitude subscale scores of the families living in Istanbul were significantly higher than the families living in Bursa, and overprotective attitude subscale scores of parents aged 30 and under were significantly higher than those of the parents aged 36-40; overprotective attitude subscale scores of families whose children were educated in independent kindergartens were significantly higher than the families whose children were educated in kindergartens affiliated with a primary or secondary school; overprotective attitude subscale scores of the families whose children attended preschool for 1 year were significantly higher than the families whose children attended preschool for 2 or 3 years. The results also revealed that as the parents' scores of approval of the effective use of digital media increased, the time for their children to use technological devices increased as well; authoritarian attitudes resulted in an increase in the time the child used technological devices; and, parenting attitudes and digital parenting attitudes were shown to differ according to the school where the children of the families received education. When the correlations between parenting attitudes and digital parenting attitudes of the parents and their children's intelligence levels and social skills were examined, a positive weak correlation was found between the intelligence levels and social skills of children, and a positive weak correlation was found between Protection from Digital Media Risks and Overprotective Attitude, and a negative weak correlation was found between Authoritarian Attitude and Listening Skills. In analysis made based on structural equation modeling, it was determined that democratic and authoritarian attitudes had negative effects on social skills of students and permissive and overprotective attitudes had positive effects on social skills of students. However, when the answers by parents to the Parents Attitude Scale were checked through semi-structures interviews, it can be said that the parents may have confused democratic parenting attitude with permissive parenting attitude. When the semi-structured interview results were examined, it was found that parents and teachers believed that technological tools negatively affected children's social skills and intelligence levels; children used technological devices to watch videos and play games; boys played more games that were not suitable for their age; the majority of the children followed video channels that were not educational or suitable for their age group; when asked to turn a technological device off, most of the children show reactions; and the parents needed content for their children approved by the Ministry of National Education and parent training for themselves. It was also found that teachers conducted activities for informing the parents in parent-teacher meetings and face-to-face activities such as private interviews with parents along with distant activities such as sending information forms for children to use technology correctly, giving activities to the child to be done together with the family, and sharing current news and developments about the use of technology with parents. When the metaphors of the children regarding technological devices were examined, it was found that they liken these devices most to their friends and family members; the metaphor used most for their friends and technological devices was a toy; and children perceived turning technological devices off as a negative situation.