MEDIA USE AND EXPOSURE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the media use and exposure of preschool children and its association with parental monitoring. A total of 420 children and their parents from independent kindergartens in Bucak district, Turkey, participated in the study during the 2023-2024 academic year. Data were collected using a General Information Form and a Media Usage Level Child and Parent Interview Form. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Results showed that children watched TV for an average of 110.5 minutes per day, used computers for 92.3 minutes per day, and had a total media exposure time of 186.6 minutes per day. The majority of children had their TV program content monitored by their mothers. Maternal employment status, age, and educational level were found to be associated with children's media use patterns. Working mothers were associated with longer TV watching and phone usage times compared to non-working mothers. Older mothers were more likely to have children with longer TV watching and phone usage times. University graduate mothers were associated with lower TV watching times but higher computer and phone usage times compared to other educational groups. University graduate mothers were also more likely to monitor the content of media usage. These findings suggest the importance of parental monitoring in influencing children's media use habits. Effective guidance is needed to help parents establish healthy media habits and minimize potential negative impacts on children's development. Further research with larger samples is recommended to explore these findings in more depth.