THE IMPACT OF SCREEN TIME AND PARENTAL VERBAL STIMULATION ON SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35120/sciencej040493jKeywords:
screen time, parental verbal stimulation, speech and language development, preschool children, family communicationAbstract
In recent years, the amount of time young children spend in front of screens has increased significantly, raising concerns about its effects on speech and language development during early childhood. At the same time, the role of parents as the main source of verbal stimulation remains crucial for fostering communication and linguistic growth. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between children’s screen time, the quality of parental verbal stimulation, and indicators of speech and language development in preschool-aged children. Methods: The study included a sample of 440 parents of children aged 3 to 6 years. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect data on: daily screen exposure across different devices (television, computer, tablet, mobile phone); household rules regarding media use; and the quality of verbal communication between parents and children. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test (χ²) to determine associations between variables. Results: Findings revealed that 48.0% of children spent up to three hours per day in front of a screen, 43.0% between five and eight hours, and only 7.7% less than one hour daily. This pattern indicates a high level of exposure to electronic media even in early childhood. Furthermore, 71.6% of parents reported maintaining appropriate verbal communication with their child, whereas 28.4% did not. A statistically significant association was found between the lack of adequate verbal stimulation and the presence of speech or language difficulties (χ² = 43.029; p < 0.001). Discussion: The results align with current international findings suggesting that excessive screen exposure reduces opportunities for real-life verbal interaction. Parents who consciously limit screen time and engage in frequent conversations with their children tend to foster stronger speech, vocabulary, and syntax development. These findings emphasize the importance of family-based interventions aimed at improving parental communication skills and establishing healthy media routines. Conclusion: Excessive screen time represents a significant risk factor for reduced verbal stimulation during the sensitive period of early childhood. However, the quality and frequency of parental verbal interaction can partially mitigate these negative effects. Parent education programs promoting balanced media use and daily verbal engagement are essential to support optimal speech and language development in preschool children.
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