ADAPTIVE DIGITAL PARENTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: SUPPORTING HEALTHY MEDIA HABITS FOR PRESCHOOLERS

<doi>10.24250/jpe/2/2025/SI/</doi>

Abstract

Preschoolers today are growing up surrounded by digital
media, which presents both developmental opportunities
and risks. Parental guidance plays a key role in shaping
healthy media habits from early childhood. This study
presents the Adaptive Digital Parenting for Preschoolers
(ADPP) program, an intervention program combining
parent education with a personalized mobile application.
The 10-week randomized controlled trial involved 60
families with children aged 3–5 years, divided into
intervention and control groups. The ADPP program
offered interactive workshops and app-based feedback
tailored to each family’s digital behavior. Results indicated
substantial improvements in parents’ digital parenting
competence (+20 points on a standardized scale, p < .001),
significant reductions in children’s daily screen time (–40
minutes on average), and greater parent–child coengagement
with educational media. Qualitative findings
highlighted decreased parenting stress, improved family
routines, and higher confidence in managing technology
use. While limited by its pilot scope and short-term
duration, the study demonstrates that adaptive, technologysupported
parenting interventions can enhance digital
literacy, reduce excessive screen use, and strengthen family
relationships. The ADPP model contributes a scalable
framework for supporting families in the digital age,
promoting resilience and meaningful media use in early
childhood.