Digital Game Addiction and Peer Interaction: The Role of Parents’ Education Levels

This study investigates the impact of digital game addiction on peer play behaviors and social skills in early childhood, focusing on parents' education levels. Using a sample of 405 participants from Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, the study employs the Digital Game Addiction Tendency Scale and the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (Parent Form). Significant negative correlations were found between the sub-dimensions of disconnection from life and conflict in the Digital Game Addiction Scale and play interaction, indicating that increased digital game addiction tendencies correspond to decreased positive peer play behaviors. No direct correlation was observed between the continuous play and reflection in life dimensions of digital game addiction and peer play interaction. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing digital and peer play experiences for children’s social development. Additionally, it explores how parental education levels influence these dynamics, providing insights and recommendations for families, educators, and policymakers to monitor digital game use and promote balanced play activities. This research adds to the growing literature on digital game addiction and its implications for early childhood development, highlighting the critical role of parental education.