Impact of digital media exposure on child behaviour and youth social development in Anambra State
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62672/gbl.v2i2.34Keywords:
Anambra state and content type, Child behaviour, Digital media exposure, Youth social developmentAbstract
This study examined the effects of digital media exposure on child behavior and youth social development in Anambra State. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 100 purposively selected respondents, including primary school teachers (72%) and parents (28%) who regularly interact with children aged 5–10 years and local youths. Data were gathered through a structured 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression. Descriptive findings revealed that 88% of caregivers observed tantrums or restlessness when children were denied screen access. However, regression and ANOVA results showed that digital media exposure variables collectively had no significant effect on child behavior (p = .108). Among the predictors, only content type significantly influenced behavioral changes (β = −0.256, p = .037), whereas exposure duration and platform type were not significant. For youth social development, high levels of face-to-face communication (91%) and civic participation (87%) were reported, despite challenges such as difficulties in forming real-world friendships (70%) and a preference for screen-based communication (66%). Inferential analyses indicated that neither individual media exposure variables nor their combined effects significantly influenced youth social development (p = .414). The study concludes that digital media exposure does not significantly affect long-term behavioral patterns or social development among children and youths in Anambra State. The findings suggest that policies should prioritize the regulation of media content quality rather than focusing solely on screen time.
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