The Relationship Between Intensive Mobile Device Use and Socio-Communication Difficulties in School-Age Children (7–12 Years)

Keywords:
Mobile Devices, Socio-Communication, Peer Interaction, Emotional Regulation, Parental Modeling

Abstract:
This study investigates the association between intensive mobile device use and socio-communication functioning in school-age children (7–12 years). Using a cross-sectional quantitative design with parental reports (N = 100), the research focuses on peer interaction, emotional regulation, and the role of parental modeling. Psychometric analyses confirmed high reliability of the measurement instrument (α =.89). Results revealed that intensive mobile device use is significantly associated with increased peer interaction difficulties (r =.41) and emotional regulation challenges (r =.36). Furthermore, regression analysis identified parental modeling of device use as the strongest predictor of children’s intensive digital engagement (β =.39, p <.01), explaining 32% of the variance. These findings suggest that developmental outcomes of mobile technology use are strongly moderated by parental habits and environmental factors. The study integrates behavioral and neurodevelopmental perspectives, highlighting the importance of balanced digital habits and positive parental examples in supporting healthy socio-communication development.

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M. Ninković, M. Reljić, G. Pejić, “The Relationship Between Intensive Mobile Device Use and Socio-Communication Difficulties in School-Age Children (7–12 Years),” in Sinteza 2026 - International Scientific Conference on Information Technology, Computer Science, and Data Science, Belgrade, Singidunum University, Serbia, 2026, pp. 208-212. doi:10.15308/Sinteza-2026-208-212

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Ninković, M., Reljić, M., Pejić, G. (2026). The Relationship Between Intensive Mobile Device Use and Socio-Communication Difficulties in School-Age Children (7–12 Years). Paper presented at Sinteza 2026 - International Scientific Conference on Information Technology, Computer Science, and Data Science. doi:10.15308/Sinteza-2026-208-212

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