Factors Contributing to Excessive Use of Screen Gadgets and Its Effect to Social and Emotional Functioning Factors Contributing to Excessive Use of Screen Gadgets and Its Effect to Social and Emotional Functioning

Abstract

“At one time a screen meant maybe something in your living room,†says New York Times technology journalist, Matt Richtel. “But now it’s something in your pocket, so it goes everywhere—it can be behind the wheel, it can be at the dinner table, it can be in the bathroom. We see it everywhere todayâ€. This research presented and discussed the results of the study which aimed to determine the excessive use of screen gadgets among teenagers in Labangon, Cebu City, Philippines. This research helped identify the different factors that contributed to screen addiction among the research participants and the effects on the social and emotional functioning. There were a total of nine research participants, two males and seven females with age ranging from 11 to 19 years old. In gathering the data, a survey and an interview were executed. A survey was first given to random 100 respondents coming from Labangon, Cebu City that helped in recognizing the top three gadgets which was mostly used by the teenagers. Also, the said survey served as the source in identifying the suitable participants for the study. After having the survey, interview with the selected research participants was done. The said interview was then recorded and was later on transcribed. The researchers used thematic analysis in interpreting the data collected and gathered by which the researchers analyzed, described and categorized the themes established coming from the data. Findings of the study has revealed that the following factors naming; opportunity to enjoy, accessibility to use for research work, leisure and pastime, social support, same interest and lack of family interaction causes oneself to indulge in excessive usage of screen gadgets. Furthermore, excessive use of screen gadgets affects the social and emotional functioning of the research participants, both positively and negatively. As an effect to the social functioning of the research participants, the type of Family Interaction at home can either create a bond within the family or it can be the root of the development of undesirable behavior among them. It was also identified on the data gathered that majority of the research participants’ parents were working and that they are capable enough to buy and secure screen gadgets within themselves considering it as one of the factors of their excessive use. An intervention program entitled “Be Part of the TREND (Turning Resources and Energy in New Directions)†was proposed to help the research participants and other teenagers with the same case of excessive use of screen gadgets addressed their concerns about it. This program aimed to assist the research participants from being reliant to screen gadgets to being able to balance screen gadget use and generate a well-adapted social and emotional functioning.