The Correlation between Parental Digital Literacy, Gadget Addiction, and Emotional Stability in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Authors

  • Afrina Afrina Universitas Pamulang
  • Dwi Harianti Universitas Pamulang
  • Lili Nurlaili Universitas Pamulang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24036/nara.v5i3.574

Keywords:

Children with Special Needs, Digital Literacy, Emotional Stability, Gadget Addiction

Abstract

Technology use impacts children's behaviour significantly. Gadget reliance in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) children’s causes more complex psychological issues than in other youngsters. This study examines the association between parental digital literacy, gadget addiction, and children with NDDs's mental stability. The study collected data by questionnaire. Purposive sampling was utilised to select 185 verified Greater Jakarta residents with children with neurodevelopmental problems. Data was analysed using SEM-PLS. Research shows that parental digital literacy and gadget addiction explain 53.9% of NDDs children's mental stability. This study introduces novelty by simultaneously evaluating parental digital literacy and gadget addiction within the specific context of neurodivergent children. The research shows that gadget addiction correlated negatively and significantly with children's emotional stability (β = -0.704; p < 0.001). Meanwhile, parental digital literacy did not show a significant correlation (β = -0.089; p = 0.072).

References

Abdelmoneium, Azza. O., Al Fara, H., Motawaa, F., Al Sultan, A., Al-Harahsheh, S., & Baghdady, A. (2023). Parental perspectives on adolescents’ excessive use of technology in Qatar: Challenges and coping strategies. Doha International Family Institute Journal, 2023(2). https://doi.org/10.5339/difi.2023.9

Alamri, M. M., Alrehaili, M. A., Albariqi, W., Alshehri, M. S., Alotaibi, K. B., & Algethami, A. M. (2023). Relationship Between Speech Delay and Smart Media in Children: A Systematic Review. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45396

Albayrak, Z. S., Ateş, B. Ö., Ballı, M., Öncü Sartekin, T., & Kaya Dağdeviren, C. (2026). Profiling problematic digital use in adolescence: A clustering analysis from clinical settings. Current Psychology, 45(6), 555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-026-09185-4

Alenazi, S. A., Hasham, S. H., Hanif, I., Hussain, S., Abderahim, M., Alanazi, A. M., Alhudhayyiri, B. F., Alanazi, A. F., Alanazi, A. M., & Elmorsy, E. (2024). Association of Screen Time Exposure With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Four to Six-Year-Old Children in Arar City, Saudi Arabia. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61447

Al-Harahsheh, S., Abdelmoneium, A., Baghdady, A., Ali, R., Al-Khalaf, M., & Al-Motawaa, F. (2024). Adolescent overuse of digital technology: Perspectives of parents, adolescents and practitioners in Qatar (p. 1436844 Bytes). Manara - Qatar Research Repository. https://doi.org/10.57945/MANARA.24591189

Alpuğan, Z. (2024). Navigating The Digital Landscape: A Comprehensive Review of Digital Media’s Impact on Child Development. Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 12(2), 572–592. https://doi.org/10.52122/nisantasisbd.1481354

Alshaban, F., Aldosari, M., El Sayed, Z., Tolefat, M., El Hag, S., Al Shammari, H., Ghazal, I., & Fombonne, E. (2017). Autism spectrum disorder in Qatar: Profiles and correlates of a large clinical sample. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 2, 2396941517699215. https://doi.org/10.1177/2396941517699215

Asmahasanah, S., Triwoelandari, R., Al Ikhsan, S. H., & Ritzkal, R. (2025). Parenting And Digital Literacy Assistance For Young Mothers in Early Childhood Education in Preventing the Risk of Internet Media Through The Controlling Gedget Application. Abdi Dosen : Jurnal Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat, 9(4), 1728–1737. https://doi.org/10.32832/abdidos.v9i4.3096

Bao, K., Hu, J., Leung, C. K., & Yao, J. (2024). A Correlation Analysis Method Between Students’ Digital Literacy and Mental Health. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology, 24(09), 2440081. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219519424400815

Celebi, E. (2023). Teachers’ and Parents’ Views on the Psychosocial Effects of Children’s Technology Addiction. Current Perspectives in Social Sciences, 27(1), 53–60. https://doi.org/10.5152/JSSI.2023.2275208

Cemiloglu, D., Almourad, M. B., McAlaney, J., & Ali, R. (2022). Combatting digital addiction: Current approaches and future directions. Technology in Society, 68, 101832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101832

Chinchay, Y., Torrado, J. C., Gomez, J., & Montoro, G. (2024). Towards more supportive ICT for children with autism spectrum disorders: Lessons learned from COVID-19 pandemic. Behaviour & Information Technology, 43(12), 3027–3046. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2023.2268734

Firmansyah, A., & Putri, J. (2024). Parental Mediation to Reduce Device Addiction in Children with Emotional Disorders: A Case Study. Genius Journal, 5(1), 19–27. https://doi.org/10.56359/gj.v5i1.338

Gammoh, O., Shannag, S., Al-Jabari, S., Al-Shawaheen, R., Bazi, S., Al-Smadi, A. M., & Alomari, A. M. A. (2024). Addiction to smartphones in Arabs is associated with severe depressive symptoms and insomnia: A cross-sectional study. Discover Mental Health, 4(1), 65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-024-00123-z

Guo, S., Xu, J., Wang, M., Akezhuoli, H., Zhou, X., & Lu, J. (2024). The effects of parent-child separation on the digital literacy of children and adolescents: A bidirectional perspective study. Heliyon, 10(10), e31113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31113

Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2022.100027

Kamath, A., Poojari, S., & Varsha, K. (2025). Assessing the robustness of normality tests under varying skewness and kurtosis: A practical checklist for public health researchers. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 25(1), 206. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-025-02641-y

Kent, S., Masterson, C., Ali, R., Parsons, C. E., & Bewick, B. M. (2021). Digital Intervention for Problematic Smartphone Use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13165. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413165

Khald, M. S., Abd Elmoneam, H. H., & Ismail, S. S. (2025). Assessment of mothers’ knowledge and attitude regarding digital media addiction effectiveness on their child health. Helwan International Journal for Nursing Research and Practice, 4(12), 673–686. https://doi.org/10.21608/hijnrp.2026.424607.1453

Koirala, B., & Baptiste, D.-L. (2026). Just Stats: T Tests, Analysis of Variance Tests, and Nonparametric Equivalents. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 22(3), 105692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2026.105692

Kushwah, S., & Dave, N. (2025). Synthetic Companionship: Deepfake Parental Substitutes in Ai-Driven Children’s Literature and Their Impact on Child-Computer Interaction. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5209558

Lal, S. G., Syurina, E., González, L. P., Bally, E. L. S., Gopikumar, V., & Bunders-Aelen, J. G. F. (2023). Vulnerabilities Prompting Use of Technology and Screen by Mothers of Autistic Children in India: Lived Experiences and Comparison to Scientific Literature. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 47(4), 1022–1042. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-022-09796-z

Masri-Zada, T., Martirosyan, S., Abdou, A., Barbar, R., Kades, S., Makki, H., Haley, G., & Agrawal, D. K. (2025). The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders, 9(2), 111–130.

Muchtarom, M., -, R., & Selamat, A. Z. (2025). Preventing gadget misuse in children to enhance family resilience: Integrating religious values, digital literacy, and community participation in rural. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5822268

Ntalindwa, T., Nduwingoma, M., Karangwa, E., Rashid Soron, T., Uworwabayeho, A., & Uwineza, A. (2021). Development of a Mobile App to Improve Numeracy Skills of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Participatory Design and Usability Study. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 4(3), e21471. https://doi.org/10.2196/21471

Purnama, S., Wibowo, A., Narmaditya, B. S., Fitriyah, Q. F., & Aziz, H. (2022). Do parenting styles and religious beliefs matter for child behavioral problem? The mediating role of digital literacy. Heliyon, 8(6), e09788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09788

Ringle, C. M., Wende, S., & Becker, J. M. (2022). SmartPLS 4 (Version 4.0.9.9) [Computer software]. Oststeinbek : SmartPLS GmbH. www.smartpls.com

Shorna, J. A., Ratul, Rabaye, Morshed, & Fatema. (2025). Cell Phone Addiction and Its Association with Socio-Environmental Factors among Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.20372/DCIDJ.926

Supriyadi, S., & Maesyaroh, S. (2023). The Effect of Parenting Patterns and Digital Literacy on Social-Emotional Development in Early Children. Jurnal Ilmiah Profesi Pendidikan, 8(1b), 859–867. https://doi.org/10.29303/jipp.v8i1b.1202

Syifa, A., & Kusumaningrum, T. A. I. (2025). The Relationship Between Gadget Use Behavior and Emotional Mental Disorders in Children in Surakarta. Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Masyarakat: Media Komunikasi Komunitas Kesehatan Masyarakat, 17(3). https://jikm.upnvj.ac.id/index.php/home/article/view/778/219

Theopilus, Y., Al Mahmud, A., Davis, H., & Octavia, J. R. (2024). Preventive Interventions for Internet Addiction in Young Children: Systematic Review. JMIR Mental Health, 11, e56896. https://doi.org/10.2196/56896

Vidani, J., Chauhan, K., & Patel, T. (2024). A Study on the Effects of Ads on the Mental Health of Children. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4848156

Yulianti, D., Montessori, M., Ananda, A., & Rahmi, T. (2023). Parents’ Strategy in Using Gadgets as a Source of Character Education. Scaffolding: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Dan Multikulturalisme, 5(2), 577–600. https://doi.org/10.37680/scaffolding.v5i2.3068

Yusoff, M., Mahmud, Y., Azmi, P. A. R., & Sallehud-din, M. T. M. (2025). The improvement of SMOTE-ENN-XGBoost through Yeo Johnson strategy on Dissolved Gas Analysis dataset. Energy Reports, 13, 6281–6290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2025.05

Downloads

Published

2026-09-22

How to Cite

Afrina, A., Harianti, D., & Nurlaili, L. (2026). The Correlation between Parental Digital Literacy, Gadget Addiction, and Emotional Stability in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Naradidik: Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 5(3), 551–561. https://doi.org/10.24036/nara.v5i3.574

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.