Dampak Gadget Terhadap Perkembangan Emosional Anak Usia 3-6 Tahun

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the impact of gadget use on the social-emotional development of children aged 3–6 years in Sumberagung Village, Sumberbaru District, Jember Regency. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach to understand the phenomenon of gadget use among early childhood children. The research subjects consisted of 30 children aged 3–6 years and their parents, who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through observations and interviews to obtain information about children’s gadget usage habits. The data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative analysis through the stages of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.The results show that gadgets have become part of children’s daily activities and are often used as a form of entertainment or to calm children when they feel bored or fussy. The use of gadgets without time limits and parental supervision leads children to prefer playing with gadgets rather than interacting with their peers. This condition results in reduced social interaction and the emergence of less stable emotional behavior, such as becoming easily angry or crying when the gadget is taken away. Therefore, the role of parents is very important in supervising, limiting the duration of use, and selecting age-appropriate content so that gadget use does not hinder the social-emotional development of early childhood children.