Investigation of the relationship between preschool children's technology use and parental attitudes towards technology use and their prosocial and problem behaviors in the classroom

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between preschool children's technology use and parental attitudes towards it and their prosocial and problem behaviors in the classroom. The sample of this study, which used the relational screening model, one of the quantitative research methods, consisted of 461 children aged 58-79 months attending independent kindergartens and official preschools in the central district of Kırklareli province in the 2022-2023 academic year, their parents and preschool teachers (n=30). In collecting the data of the study, the volunteer parents filled out the "Demographic Information Form", "Parental Attitudes in Smartphone/Tablet Use Habits Scale" and "Problematic Technology Use Scale for Children", while the volunteer teachers filled out the "Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale" and "Child Prosociality Scale" for the children in their classes. Descriptive statistics, independent groups t-test, one-way variance and correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Within the scope of the research, as the average daily time the child spends with smartphones/tablets and computers on weekdays and weekends increases; It was determined that usage continuity, control resistance, deprivation-escape dimension scores and problematic technology use scale scores in children increased. It has been determined that the distraction dimension and benefit dimension scores of parents who have internet access at home and whose children connect to the internet while using technological devices are higher than other parents. It was found that as the daily average time spent by the child on weekdays and weekends with TV, smartphone/tablet and computer increases, parents' distraction and benefit dimension scores increase, and as time decreases, parents' control dimension scores increase. It was determined that the learning problem dimension, expressing problems dimension and problem behavior scale scores of boys were higher than those of girls. It was concluded that girls' child prosociality scale scores were higher than boys. It was determined that there was a statistically significant negative relationship between the child prosociality scale and the problem behavior scale, the learning problem dimension and the expressing problems dimension. It was determined that there was no statistically significant relationship between problem behavior and problematic technology use in children. It was found that there was a statistically significant negative relationship between the control dimension and the expressing problems dimension. It has been determined that there is no statistically significant relationship between parental attitudes and prosocial behavior in children's problematic technology use and smartphone/tablet usage habits. It was determined that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between the problematic technology use scale for children, the continuity of use dimension, the control resistance dimension and the deprivation-escape dimension and the diversion, benefit and information dimensions. It is important to continue research on what awaits today's children growing up in the age of digital technology in the short, medium and long term. Keywords: Preschool children, technology use, problem behavior, prosocial behavior