Interaksi Sosial Anak di Era Digital Hubungan Penggunaan Gadget dengan Interaksi Sosial pada Usia Sekolah Dasar

The use of technology, including gadgets, is one of the characteristics of a country's progress. However, excessive gadget use in children can affect their social interactions, such as reducing physical play time, increasing antisocial behavior, and reducing social interaction skills. This study aims to analyze the relationship between gadget use and social interaction in elementary school-aged children. The method used was quantitative with a descriptive correlational design. The sample of this study consisted of 97 students in grades IV-VI who were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data analysis used univariate analysis to determine frequency distribution and bivariate analysis with the Spearman Rank test to test the relationship between variables. The results showed that 52 people (53.6%) of respondents had gadget use in the poor category, while 70 people (72.2%) had social interaction in the low category. The results of the Spearman Rank test showed a correlation value of ρ-value = <0.001 < α 0.05 with a value of r = 0.347, which indicates a low correlation with a positive direction. This finding suggests that non-optimal gadget use contributes to low social interaction in school-age children. Therefore, wise management of gadget use needs to be implemented to support children's social interaction.