engleski

What Consequences of Children’s Digital Device Use Do Parents and Children See? – Focus Group Approach

The use of digital devices in children can leave different consequences on their health and wellbeing. Especially, if we consider the rapid changes of digital devices and children’s easy access to them. Researchers are now trying to answer the questions about what different types of consequences of digital devices use are among children. This paper aimed to examine children’s and parents’ perspectives on the consequences of digital technology use by using a thematic analysis approach. The data presented in this paper are taken from qualitative research conducted as part of the HrZZ UIP project “Digital Technology in the Family: Patterns of Behaviour and Effects on Child Development” (D.E.C.I.D.E.) founded by the Croatian Scientific Foundation and the Catholic University of Croatia. The 9 focus groups were conducted with children aged between 9 and 15 years, and 9 focus groups with their parents. After the transcription of the focus groups, the data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Results show that eight groups of consequences emerged from both children’s and parents’ perspectives – emotional, behavioral, physical, cognitive, availability of information, social, problematic usage, and knowledge about dangers. Most of the consequences, both positive and negative, children recognize for themselves, with an exception in problematic usage where children recognize such behaviors in their friends, while parents recognize such behaviors in their children. This paper organizes and systematizes different consequences of digital device use that children and parents recognized in the children’s behavior. Implications of obtained results are discussed.

digital devices, children, parents, focus group, D.E.C.I.D.E.

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