BETWEEN ATTRACTIONS, GAMES AND ACCESS LIMITS

meanings attributed by parents and guardians to screens

Abstract

Children’s access to digital screens has increased substantially, driven by ongoing technological transformations in contemporary society. Based on this observation, the present study aims to understand the meanings attributed by mothers, fathers, and/or legal guardians to screen use during early childhood, a phenomenon intensified by the pandemic context. Exploratory in nature and grounded in a qualitative approach, the investigation employed a Google Forms virtual questionnaire- containing both open and closed-ended questions, as the data collection instrument. The questionnaire was completed by 250 adults responsible for children aged 0 to 6 years. The collected data were categorized according to the Content Analysis method proposed by Bardin (2011). This analytical technique enabled the identification of two groups of meanings: justifications for children’s screen time and participants’ opinions regarding screen use. The findings indicate that family structure significantly influences children’s access to screens; however, some parents and guardians express disagreement with the frequency of such exposure. Few participants support unrestricted use of digital devices. Most respondents advocate for limiting and supervising children’s screen use, whether for educational purposes or entertainment.