HUBUNGAN KARAKTERISTIK PENGGUNAAN GADGET DENGAN STATUS EMOSIONAL ANAK USIA PRA SEKOLAH DI TK PEMBINA BELAKANG BALOK KOTA BUKITTINGGI TAHUN 2025

Abstract

Excessive gadget use among preschool children, whether in terms of prolonged duration, early onset of use, or the types of applications accessed, can affect children’s emotional development. Previous studies indicate that 61.1% of children experience emotional disturbances due to excessive gadget use. This study aims to determine the relationship between the characteristics of gadget use and the emotional status of preschool children at TK Pembina Belakang Balok, Bukittinggi City, in 2025. The research employed a descriptive design with a cross-sectional approach. The sample consisted of 167 preschool children selected using a total sampling technique. Data were collected through questionnaires on gadget use and the KMME instrument, and analyzed using the Spearman Rank test. The results showed that among 98 respondents with gadget use duration of less than 1 hour, 16 children had emotional deviations, while among 69 respondents with duration of more than 1 hour, 49 children showed emotional deviations. Regarding onset of use, 6 out of 18 respondents who began using gadgets before 18 months showed deviations, while 119 out of 149 respondents who began after 18 months showed   deviations. Based on application type, emotional deviations were found among users of YouTube (14.9%), TikTok (30.4%), and online games (30.0%). It can be concluded that the characteristics of gadget use influence the emotional status of preschool children.

Keywords: Gadget use, emotional status, preschool children.