Mothers' perception regarding the psychosocial effects of information communication technology on school age children

Children live in a world of ICTs and are increasing their use of devices. These devices are used often for entertainment, but may also be used in different contexts, such as children using ICTs in the classroom or in other educational settings. Mothers' perceptions are also important to enhance benefits and reduce risks by directing and supervising their children’s use. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess mothers' perceptions regarding their school-age children’s (6-12 years old) use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) and its effects on their psychosocial development. Sitting: Data were collected from mothers of school-age children at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh city. Methods and Sample: The descriptive correlation design was used in this study. It included 400 mothers of school age children (6-12 years) of both sexes collected by a purposive nonrandom technique, excluded mothers of children with special needs, also who did not live with their children in the same house. Data collection tools: the instrument used to the data collection was questionnaire tilted (Parent Media Opinion Survey) with the reliability was reported as a Cronbach's alpha of .95 after modifications conducted. Results: The results of the study showed that 99% of the mothers reported that their children played electronic games. The most preferred devices among children were TV, internet access and use, iPads/iPods and tablet devices, and smart phones. In total, 44% reported that they never used or watched programs or games before they allowed their children to use.

Author(s): Reham Hamad Falah Alshahrani

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