Impact of Excessive Screen Time on Social Skill Development of Primary School Children in Rural Field Practice Area of a Tertiary Care Centre, Kozhikode: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors/Creators
- 1. MD Community Medicine Department, Associate Professor, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
- 2. Postgraduate Community Medicine Department, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
- 3. MD Transfusion Medicine Department, Assistant Professor, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
- 4. MD Community Medicine Department, Assistant Professor, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
- 5. Intern, Department of community Medicine, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre
- 6. Intern, Department of Community Medicine, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre
- 7. MD Community Medicine Department, Professor, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
- 8. PhD Statistics, Community Medicine Department, Assistant Professor, Malabar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Calicut, India
Description
Background: In our day-to-day life, screens have become an integral part. Children, in particular, are spending
increasing amounts of time in front of screens, whether it’s watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling
through various social media. While screens can provide education, entertainment and social connection,
excessive screen time has been linked to various negative effects on social skills development.
Objective: Aimed to investigate the impact of screen time on social skills development in Primary school children
aged 6 to 11 years.
Material and Methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted at South AM UP School and Theruvathekadavu
and GHSS Naduvannur in Rural Field Practice Area of Kozhikode district, Kerala from December 2024 to January
2025. A total of 220 children from both the schools were enrolled using stratified sampling. Screen time was
categorized into three groups: Low (less than 1 hour per day), Moderate (1 to 3 hours per day), and High (more
than 3 hours per day). Social skills were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating
Scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and Pearson correlation.
Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.864) indicates a strong positive correlation screen time and
social skill development problems.
Conclusion: High screen time is negatively associated with social skills development in young children. Limiting
screen time may foster better social skills development.
Abstract (English)
Background: In our day-to-day life, screens have become an integral part. Children, in particular, are spending
increasing amounts of time in front of screens, whether it’s watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling
through various social media. While screens can provide education, entertainment and social connection,
excessive screen time has been linked to various negative effects on social skills development.
Objective: Aimed to investigate the impact of screen time on social skills development in Primary school children
aged 6 to 11 years.
Material and Methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted at South AM UP School and Theruvathekadavu
and GHSS Naduvannur in Rural Field Practice Area of Kozhikode district, Kerala from December 2024 to January
2025. A total of 220 children from both the schools were enrolled using stratified sampling. Screen time was
categorized into three groups: Low (less than 1 hour per day), Moderate (1 to 3 hours per day), and High (more
than 3 hours per day). Social skills were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating
Scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and Pearson correlation.
Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.864) indicates a strong positive correlation screen time and
social skill development problems.
Conclusion: High screen time is negatively associated with social skills development in young children. Limiting
screen time may foster better social skills development.
Files
IJCPR,Vol17,Issue11,Article92.pdf
Additional details
Dates
- Accepted
-
2025-11-08