Scoping Review: Positive and Negative Impacts of Gadget Use on Child Development

Abstract

The use of gadgets among children and adolescents has grown rapidly along with the advancement of digital technology. Although gadgets provide various conveniences in daily life, their excessive and uncontrolled use can negatively impact children's growth and development. This study aims to examine the positive and negative impacts of gadget use on children's physical and mental health, focusing on various disorders that arise due to unhealthy use of gadgets. This study uses a scoping review method by reviewing relevant literature through systematic searches on PubMed, Scopus and google scholar databases. Of the total 2,897 articles identified, ten met the inclusion criteria. The results of the analysis show that the use of gadgets can have a positive impact, such as improving cognitive abilities and wider access to education, but also causing various physical and mental health disorders, such as headaches, vision impairments, obesity, stress, anxiety, insomnia, as well as problems with concentration and emotions. The lack of parental supervision, low digital literacy, and unfettered access to digital content exacerbate these negative impacts. This study suggests the need for more active parental supervision, education on the healthy use of gadgets, and time management to minimize negative impacts on children's growth and development.