Risk factors for technology addiction in young children ages 2–5 years

Purpose

This study was conducted to determine the factors predictive of technology addiction in young children (aged 2–5 years). The study examined the effects of digital parenting awareness, parental stress, family demographic characteristics and parents' technology use habits on technology addiction in young children.

Design and methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2023 and February 2024 with 401 volunteer parents of children aged 2–5 years in a province in the Western Mediterranean region of Turkey. Data were collected using the Technology Addiction Scale for Ages 2–5, the Digital Parental Awareness Scale, and the Parental Stress Scale.

Results

Digital parenting awareness, negative modeling and digital neglect, and parental stress positively and directly affect technology addiction in young children (β₁ = 0.166, β₂ = 0.443, β₃ = 0.087, all p < 0.05). Additionally, parental gender (β = 0.095), parental marital status (β = 0.092), and household income (β = 0.088) were significant predictors of technology addiction in young children (p < 0.05). The level of technology addiction is significantly higher in children who use devices without parental controls (Z = −6.187, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Low digital parenting awareness, high parental stress, male caregivers, low household income and single-parent families in digital tools increase the risk of technology addiction in young children (2–5 years). Multidisciplinary, family-oriented intervention programs, incorporating consideration of parental risk factors, should be developed to prevent and reduce technology addiction in this group.