Families' perception of the psychological effects of screen use in the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic in the age group of 4 to 12 years age group in Asunción, Paraguay

Abstract

Nowadays, screens have a preferential place in families, and the time spent in front of them is a reality in family life, occupying a space that limits interactions and communication. During the pandemic, the use of cell phones, notebooks, and computers intensified significantly, especially in fulfilling work functions and school homework and as a means of entertainment at the family's service. Today, in the post-pandemic period, there is an increase in consultations by families with children between 4 and 12 years old referred for evaluations and treatment in psychopedagogy and psychology. These referrals came from educational institutions or health services specializing in pediatrics, neurology, and child psychiatry. The most frequent reasons for consultations refer to attention deficit, constant irritability, mood swings, hyperactivity, depression, fears, difficulties in school performance, and the quantity and quality of nighttime sleep.

Access to devices from an early age, increased during the pandemic and installed in the post-pandemic, leads to an exploratory study, without statistical representation, about parents' perception of the effects generated by devices on children's emotional well-being and the family atmosphere.  For this study, researchers applied a closed questionnaire to parents of families whose children attended psychological and psychopedagogical consultations between 2023 and 2024 about their perception of the issue. Parallel interviews with Expert Groups about the use of screens and the psychological effects on the child population in question triangulated parents' perceptions.

The study results suggest that early exposure to screens without control can generate disorders in family relationships and children's maturing, social, and learning development, considering the high use of screens in children and early exposure to them registered. Results also suggest the need for parents’ reflection on the use of electronic devices in family interaction, considering this time as the basis of neural development and fundamental functions such as language, motor skills, and the relationship with their young children. It would also be convenient to look for alternative activities to reduce screen use and set rules to establish limits to using those devices.