Digital Game Addiction in Elementary Students: The Impact of Digital Literacy, Parental Styles, and Background Variables

Strategic Insights -

Recent research conducted by a team of educators at Usak University in Turkey has shed light on the complex factors that contribute to digital game addiction among elementary school students. The study, titled "Digital game addiction in elementary students: The impact of digital literacy, parental styles, and background variables," aimed to explore the influence of digital literacy, parental styles, and background variables on digital game addiction. The research involved a sample of 530 fourth-grade students from four primary schools in Turkey and employed a cross-sectional survey design to collect data.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that digital game addiction was significantly predicted by factors such as gender, screen time, and screen activity, but not by technology-use rules.
  • Digital literacy sub-factors, particularly "privacy and security knowledge," emerged as significant predictors of digital game addiction.
  • Parental style, specifically "acceptance/involvement" and "psychological autonomy," had a significant impact on digital game addiction.
  • The findings highlight the interplay between digital literacy, parental influence, and background factors in shaping digital game addiction, providing insights for parents, educators, and policymakers.
  • The study suggests that promoting healthy digital habits starts early, with parents playing a crucial role in shaping their children's digital behavior.
  • The inclusion of digital literacy sub-factors enhanced the amount of variance explained in digital game addiction, underscoring the importance of comprehensive digital literacy education.

Statistics:

  • The study involved a sample of 530 fourth-grade students from four primary schools in Turkey.
  • The analysis revealed that 24.5% of the students displayed symptoms of digital game addiction.
  • The results showed that screen time and screen activity accounted for 21.1% of the variance in digital game addiction.
  • The inclusion of digital literacy sub-factors explained an additional 15.6% of the variance in digital game addiction.
  • Parental style accounted for 12.1% of the variance in digital game addiction.

Sources:

  • "Digital game addiction in elementary students: The impact of digital literacy, parental styles, and background variables" by Sacide G. Mazman Akar, Usak University, Faculty of Education, Department of Instructional Technologies, Usak, Turkiye.
  • Journal of Pedagogical Research, 2025, 9(1): 149-160.
  • Journal of Pedagogical Research (http://ijopr.com/).