Accessibility of Digital Devices to Preschool Children: Differences in Parents’ Positions

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Abstract

Introduction. The article presents the results of an empirical study, aimed at revealing the peculiarities of parent position concerning the use of gadgets by preschool children on a Russian sample. Objective. The article focuses on the phenomenon of parents’ inconsistent position concerning the use of digital devices by preschoolers. Methods. The study was conducted in February-April, 2021. The questionnaire, elaborated by the authors of the study, was disseminated in social networks. 6376 parents of preschoolers aged from 2 to 7 from Russian Federation participated in the study. The collected data was analyzed with the help of quantitative and qualitative methods. Results and conclusions. The results of the study testify that most Russian parents demonstrate a coherent position in relation to accessibility of digital media to their children — they either give their children limited access to gadgets (66,1%), or completely ban it (5%). A big group of parents (28,9%) give rather controversial answers to questions concerning the accessibility of digital devices to their children, which testifies that they have no coherent strategy. The research demonstrates that many Russian parents face difficulties in organizing their children’s interaction with gadgets and testifies that it is important to organize parents’ counselling and education in relation to these challenges.

General Information

Keywords: digitalization of childhood, parents’ attitude (parental position), preschool age, digital media (devices), gadgets, parent education, problematic Internet use

Journal rubric: Empirical Researches

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpp.2022300207

Funding. The reported study was funded by state task of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation project number 073-00110-22-02 dated 08.04.2022 «The impact of digital socialization on the mental, personal, social development of modern children, adolescents and young men».

Received: 01.03.2022

Accepted:

For citation: Klopotova E.E., Smirnova S.Y., Rubtsova O.V., Sorokova M.G. Accessibility of Digital Devices to Preschool Children: Differences in Parents’ Positions. Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2022. Vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 109–125. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2022300207. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Ekaterina E. Klopotova, PhD in Psychology, Assistant Professor, Department of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology, Faculty of Psychology of Education, Senior Researcher, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Childhood, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1975-318X, e-mail: klopotovaee@mgppu.ru

Svetlana Y. Smirnova, Researcher of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Childhood, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8579-4908, e-mail: smirnovasy@mgppu.ru

Olga V. Rubtsova, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of "Age Psychology named after prof .L.F. Obukhova" of the Faculty of "Psychology of Education", Head of the "Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Modern Childhood", Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3902-1234, e-mail: ovrubsova@mail.ru

Marina G. Sorokova, Doctor of Education, PhD in Physics and Matematics, docent, Head of Scientific and Practical Center for Comprehensive Support of Psychological Research "PsyDATA", Head of the Department of Digital Education, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1000-6487, e-mail: sorokovamg@mgppu.ru

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