AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 36-72 MONTHLY CHILDREN’S SCREEN TIME AND THEIR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND EMOTION REGULATION SKILLS: A CASE STUDY IN TURKEY

The amount of time young children spend in front of screens is on the rise and the relationship between the children’s screen time and their social/emotional development is becoming a widely discussed issue. This research sought to determine the relationship between passive and active screen time of children in early childhood and their social competence, behavioral problems and emotion regulation skills. The sample of the study consisted of 36-72 month-old 504 children living in a city in Turkey. The results revealed that the active and passive screen time of children was positively associated with behavioral problems, and negatively associated with their social competence and emotion regulation skills. The study also indicated that children's screen time exceeded the time recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA). The results also unveil that boys spend more time on screens than girls. The study will be beneficial to child caregivers in ever increasing screen-integrated lifestyles.