Handling Adverse Effects of Digital Screen Time on Preschool Children: Looking beyond Limiting Screen Time

Abstract

Author analyses excessive screen time issues with preschool children, and how counsellors can take a better counselling approach with parents while keeping in perspective Erik Erikson’s Theory of psychosocial development impacting the child by the age of 5 years. Preschool children spend more than 2.5 hours per day on digital screens; this is against recommended guidelines of less than 1 hour per day by * WHO and ** AAP. A literature review of research papers from online *** libraries by the author found that only a small percentage of children met the recommended guidelines resulting in the risk of language disorders, delayed development of physical, motor skills and cognitive abilities, obesity, sleep problems, depression and anxiety due to screen exposure. The loneliness of children is found to be the primary reason for the excessive screen time. The author suggests that counsellors help parents look beyond limiting a child’s screen time alone and improve the parental attitude toward the child’s behaviour which is the biggest barrier in managing a child’s screen time. The author’s contribution is the ‘SALT’ counselling approach emphasising listening Support, finding Alternatives, Loneliness and Time in this digital era to cater to all types of child learners - visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Why is your paper of interest to readers? Exposure of preschool children to digital devices is more than double the recommended screen time, hampering a child’s critical personality development required as per Erik Erikson’s Theory. Counsellors need to look at other associated factors beyond screen time which affect children adversely and which are more important than just the screen time limitation prescribed as per government guidelines. Focus: SE Asia and Outside SE Asia (No IRB approval is sought as the paper is based on secondary research.)