THE IMPACTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON CHILD COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE POST-PANDEMIC CONTEXT

Abstract

Three years after the recent global crisis caused by COVID-19 in early 2020, mass social isolation has led to increased screen time among children. The use of computers and smartphones has seen a significant rise, and the normalization of this usage can be observed. However, at the same time, the negative effects of screen use during childhood are often overlooked. The growing proximity to technological devices is starting at an increasingly young age, and unrestricted exposure to screens has contributed to the development of issues such as anxiety, depression, problematic child behavior, and cognitive impairments. Therefore, this research is a cross-sectional study aimed at conducting a descriptive analysis using the Smartphone Dependency Scale (SDS) to identify the participants' level of smartphone dependency. Additionally, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the cognitive and executive functions of the participants. The sample consisted of 16 students. It is concluded that the higher the smartphone dependency, the lower the results obtained by the participants in the MMSE.