NATURE AND MEDIA EXPOSURE, AND PARENTS' EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE: IMPLICATIONS ON BEHAVIORAL REGULATION SKILLS OF KINDERGARTNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN AN INTERVENTION CENTER

In today’s rapid, digitally-driven world, children's behavioral and emotional regulation is shaped by their exposure to nature and media, and parental guidance. This study investigated the association between nature and media exposure, and parental emotional competence on the behavioral regulation of kindergartners with special needs in an intervention center. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological Model and Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Theory, the study used a descriptive correlational research design. Data were gathered from eighty (80) randomly selected parents of kindergartners through researcher - made questionnaire, followed by interviews with selected participants to gain deeper insights on the interpretation of the study results. Statistical tools such as descriptive statistics, multiple regression and point-biserial correlation were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that while nature exposure and parents’ emotional competence were rated high, they did not significantly correlate with behavioral regulation. Interview results pointed to the importance of consistent therapy and home programs in regulating their children’s behavior. In contrast, high level of media exposure, specifically smartphone use, was significantly linked to poor behavioral outcomes. The study recommends the sustenance of the collaborative efforts made by parents and educators to enforce appropriate screen time limits and promote child-friendly digital content. Future researchers are encouraged to explore longitudinal studies and consider other influencing factors such as sleep quality, peer interaction, and parental guidance on children’s screen use.