Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Vol 9. No 2 . : 179Ae194. DOI: 10. 21580/pjpp. ISSN 2527-7456 . 2502-9363 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction amongst preschoolers living in urban and rural areas: A qualitative Yanuar Fahrizal ,1A Dian Mya Mariyana,1 Shukir Saleem Hasan School of Nursing. Faculty of Medicine and Health Science. Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta Ae Indonesia. 2Department of Nursing. Hawler Medical University. Erbil Ae Iraq Abstract: Parents frequently give their children electronic devices without considering the Most typically do this to calm temperamental children, which increases the risk of detrimental effects. This study aims to investigate how parents manage electronic device usage among preschool children. A qualitative research design using a phenomenological method was used. Ten parents with children aged 3-6 participated, selected by purposive sampling. The data collection methods employed included documentation, in-depth interviews, and observation. The trustworthiness strategy included reflexive journaling during the thematic analysis process, bracketing, peer debriefing, and a participant check procedure. The data analysis methodology used was interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The study findings reveal three main themes: . the influence of the nuclear family on childrenAos use of electronic devices. the behavioral patterns associated with the utilization of electronic devices in preschool children. parental management of electronic devices among preschool children. It is suggested that nurses and health workers collaborate with parents and other family members to prevent preschool children from developing an addiction to electronic devices. It can be achieved through various strategies, such as establishing rules for playing with gadgets, limiting internet access, determining the duration of gadget play, rewarding or punishing children for achievements or negative behaviors, and redirecting them to physical activities outside the home. Keywords: gadget addiction. preschool children Copyright A 2024 Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi This is an open access article under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialShareAlike 4. 0 International License. To cite this article (APA Styl. Fahrizal. Mariyana. , & Hasan. ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction amongst preschoolers living in urban and rural areas: A qualitative study. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 9. , 179-194. https://doi. org/10. 21580/pjpp. __________ Corresponding Author: Yanuar Fahrizal . anuarfahrizal@umy. Faculty of Medicine and Health Science. Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Jl. Lingkar Selatan. Tamantirto. Bantul. Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55183 Ae Indonesia. https://journal. id/index. php/Psikohumaniora Submitted: 7 Mar 2024. Received in revised form: 1 Jul 2024. Accepted: 3 Jul 2024. Published regularly: Nov 2024 iC 179 Y. Fahrizal et al. Introduction The number of electronic device users in Indonesia is significant. According to a prominent digital marketing research institute, it was projected that the total number of active electronic device users in Indonesia would have surpassed 100 million by 2018 (Ramaita et al. , 2. Indonesia is forecast to rank as the fourth largest active consumer of electronic devices globally, following China. India, and the United States. According to a study conducted by the Asian Parents Insight in the Southeast Asia region, a total of 2,417 parents in five nations. Singapore. Thailand, the Philippines. Malaysia, and Indonesia, were found to possess electronic devices. significant majority of children between the ages of 3 and 8 . %) have utilized electronic devices for the purposes of information retrieval, entertainment, and online communication (Alifiani et al. Eventually, gadget addiction may result from excessive use of such devices. The concept of addiction has expanded to encompass not only substance addiction but also internet addiction, gadget addiction, online game addiction, and pornography addiction (Gunawan et , 2021. Kiatsakared & Chen, 2022. Mubarok. Priyanto, 2. Any disorder that consistently induces self-satisfaction with specific activities is referred to as addiction (Kusumawati et , 2. Gadget addiction is a type of dependence on devices that can result in social issues, including withdrawal from and lack of interaction with the environment and difficulty in controlling or refraining from actions that can be detrimental to oneAos well-being (Ningsih, 2. Various factors, including social, psychological, and biological aspects, can contribute to the development of addiction (Montag & Reuter, 2. There are numerous characteristics of gadget addiction, including salience, tolerance, mood modification, withdrawal, relapse, conflict, and problems such as online games (Lemmens et al. , 2. 180 iC Parents often provide their children with electronic devices in the expectation that they will facilitate the early development of technological literacy (Nurfadilah et al. , 2. This early exposure to technology is believed to enhance childrenAos ability to gain knowledge more efficiently and comprehensively. However, the overuse of electronic devices has been observed to contribute to a decrease in physical activity and motivation among children. Moreover, excessive exposure to electronic screens hinders the social contact of children, particularly those between the ages of 3 and 6, a critical period for their growth and development. A notable proportion of preschool children, ranging from 5% to 25%, encounter growth and development issues as a result of excessive utilization of electronic devices (Jafri & Defega, 2. The presence of individualistic attitudes could lead to a lack of communication and interaction with the surrounding environment (Marpaung, 2. addition, the addiction to gadgets has a detrimental effect on studentAos academic progress by diminishing their interest in reading academic texts (Bukhori et al. , 2. The current situation includes the widespread ease with which parents provide electronic devices to their children, both in domestic settings and in public environments. It has been observed by researchers that parents frequently let their children use mobile phones in public settings such as restaurants, with the intention of engaging them in gaming or video-watching activities, thus providing a quiet and undisturbed environment for parents to carry out their own activities. Our preliminary research found that preschoolersAo Participant statements show this, for AuI usually give kids gadgets to help them relax and not bother me while I workAy (K. FM). Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction . However, another participantAos opinion AuAlhamdulillah, my first kid is not addicted to It is because my husband and I constantly set restrictions and guidelines for our children on the use of their devices. instance, on vacations, there has to be an agreement with the kids over the length of use of their gadgetsAy (GR. FM). The participation of parents in supervising childrenAos use of gadgets throughout the learning process is crucial, as it enables children to develop wisdom in their gadget usage and enhances their attention to learning (Rizki et al. , 2. A study indicates that not all parents engage in joint gadget play with their children, and there are still those who fail to establish guidelines for the duration and frequency of gadget usage (Novianti et al. , 2. Currently, there is a dearth of research that investigates the experiences and perspectives of parents in the management of gadgets for their children, even though parents play a vital role in preventing gadget addiction. The novelty of our research is that it uncovers the psychological mechanisms underlying parentsAo involvement in introducing electronic devices to children and their endeavors to mitigate addiction, as explained in their own words. It is crucial to examine the developmental factors that affect the mental wellbeing of preschool children. This study is similar to the research conducted by Tafrihah and Utanto . , who employed a literature review In contrast, our study directly investigates the firsthand experiences of parents in regulating their childrenAos electronic devices. aims to understand the parentsAo experiences of managing gadgets for children. The study findings are expected to provide the basis for parental strategies aimed at preventing addiction to gadgets. Methods The study utilized a phenomenological qualitative research design. Qualitative research is distinguished by its emphasis on processes rather than outcomes, which enables an in-depth understanding of the significance of each component and the acquisition of insights that are challenging to obtain if using a quantitative questionnaire (Antonovsky et al. , 2. The data collection was conducted in Sleman District. Special Region of Yogyakarta. Indonesia, with a total of 10 research participants. The determination of sample size is contingent upon the degree of data saturation achieved. Such saturation is achieved by conducting participant interviews until information redundancy is reached (Creswell, 2. In addition to data saturation, qualitative phenomenological research does not necessitate a large sample size, as the objective of this approach is to motivate participants to thoroughly articulate the significance of a specific subject and their life In the context of phenomenological research, there is no clear rule for determining the appropriate sample size (Salama & Chikudate. The process of selecting and determining the number of participants in descriptive phenomenological research is distinct from that of quantitative research, primarily due to the departure of the philosophical foundation from logical positivism. Therefore, the logic of the representativeness of the sample and the number of participants . r external validit. that is the foundation of a quantitative research study does not apply to phenomenological research (Salama & Chikudate, 2. Peer reviews were also conducted among the researchers to identify any potential gaps or areas that needed additional The study employed a purposive sampling technique, which involves selecting samples based on specific considerations and conditions (Maltby et al. , 2. We undertook sample selection by visiting kindergartens in Sleman Regency and Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . iC 181 Y. Fahrizal et al. conducting initial screenings regarding childrenAos gadget use. Upon identifying childrenAos active engagement with gadgets, we provided them with details of the research and requested their consent to participate in the study. Considerations included limited time, energy, and funds, which prevented the researcher from collecting a large sample from distant or hard-to-reach locations. The study participants needed to satisfy the specified inclusion criteria, namely that they were . parents residing in the Sleman district with children aged 3-6 attending preschool or kindergarten, and . parents of preschool children who were already using electronic devices. The study included participants between the ages of 26 and 38, with the majority falling in the 26-30 age The participants were predominantly female and had different levels of education, ranging from junior high school to a bachelorAos however, the majority had completed high The individualsAo socioeconomic positions ranged from middle to low. The study employed the in-depth interview approach to provide a thorough investigation of the experiences of the The majority of the interviews were semi-structured and consisted of a series of queries that had to be answered, but there was no specific format for the responses. The interviewees were permitted to provide additional commentaries or engage in discussions regarding related matters but were prohibited from deviating from the subject matter (Mooi & Sarstedt, 2. In order to reduce bias in the process of gathering data, we ensured that the questions asked were unambiguous, impartial, and did not influence the respondentsAo answers. The use of triangulation, which involves employing different methodologies or data sources, was able to effectively mitigate bias and enhance the reliability of our conclusions. The researchers created an interview guide to investigate parentsAo experiences handling their childrenAos electronic 182 iC It encompassed the initiation of childrenAos utilization of gadgets, the rationales for providing gadgets to children, the duration of gadget usage, regulations and restrictions for device usage, the impact on children after using gadgets, parentsAo comprehension of gadget addiction, and their endeavors to mitigate it. The interviews were conducted at the participantAos house and lasted for 30-60 minutes. The data analysis methodology employed was interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which encompasses several distinct First, the transcripts are thoroughly read and reread to extract relevant material. Detailed notes are then taken to capture key insights and Subsequently, themes are identified, and links between them are developed (Mohajan. The research extended beyond individual instances, as patterns and connections between multiple cases were sought. To ensure the accuracy of the gathered data, several methodological techniques were employed, including bracketing, triangulation (Hammarberg et al. , 2. , peer debriefing, and member checks (Loiselle & McGrath, 2. Bracketing is performed before conducting interviews with participants to ensure that the data obtained is truly objective and not affected by the researcherAos Researchers engage in question-and-answer discussions with their peers during peer debriefing to enhance the accuracy of their They also conduct member checks by reviewing the data obtained from the data providers . The researchers ensured the preservation of confidentiality and anonymity for every individual involved in the research. The study received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine. Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, under the reference number 047/ECKEPK FKIK UMY/I/2023. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction . becoming less social and inactive without For us busy parents, we give gadgets to our children so that they are quiet and donAot make any noise, but if there are friends, they play with their friendsAy (P. Results The study yielded three distinct themes: the impact of the nuclear family on childrenAos utilization of electronic devices, the behavioral patterns associated with the utilization of electronic devices in preschool children, and parental management of technological devices among preschool children. Other participants also expressed similar AuThatAos right so that children donAot become Electronic devices are introduced, but they are limited so that they canAot be used for long periods of time. Ay The information comes from a mobile phone. you will regret not learning the information from your friends They will undoubtedly talk about the game and this and that. My child will not want it if he does not engage in the discussionAy (P. The Impact of the Nuclear Family on ChildrenAos Utilization of Technological Devices This theme encompasses three sub-themes, namely: the behavioral patterns of electronic device usage within nuclear families, the rationale/s behind parentsAo decisions to provide electronic devices to their children, and the primary provider of electronic devices in the family. The role of nuclear families in the introduction of electronic devices was supported by participant statements, as shown below: AuThe first person who introduced the electronic device was the mother. When heAos still small, he does something, and this is to be quiet first, so he becomes calm, as a diversion to be quietAy (P. The following participant statements illustrate the behavior of the nuclear family towards the use of technology: AuYes, frequently when IAom selling online, when I open my mobile phone, heAos beside me, so itAos like seeing that because he often watches it, and he wants to join inAy (P. Factors that influence parental decisionmaking regarding the act of providing electronic devices can be attributed to environmental factors and societal circumstances, as supported by the statements provided by the participants: AuActually, we give gadgets because of the environment here. the children have been watching YouTube since they were little, and they have been using gadgets since they were I also want my child to learn to use gadgets like everyone else, as he fears The Behavioral Patterns Associated with the Utilization of Electronic Devices in Preschool Children The theme encompasses various sub-themes, including the initiation of electronic device usage, the accessibility to electronic devices, the duration of electronic device usage, and the effects of device usage on children. With regard to the early development of childrenAos recognition and utilization of technological devices, one participant stated: Au. He was frequently shown baby films or anything like that while he was a baby. became obsessed from there, so he just kept playing on his mobile phoneAy (P. ChildrenAos age when they first used electronic devices was evidenced by the statements of the following participants: AuThe childAos use of electronic devices appears to have begun when he was 3. 5 years oldAy (P. Electronic device accessibility pertains to childrenAos skills in accessing electronic devices. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . AuHe already knows whatAos going on. he also knows where his YouTube is, perhaps also because he frequently sees his pals playing with their phones. If he wants to use his phone iC 183 Y. Fahrizal et al. but itAos still locked, he can do it on his own. otherwise, he asks me to unlock itAy (P. deteriorating ocular health, as articulated by the following participant: Regarding the duration of childrenAos gadget usage, one respondent stated: AuThe negative impact is that sometimes there are advertisements on TikTok for the song Abang jahat and then it is sung by my child, at that age he remembers quickly, maybe bad songs have a bad impactAy (P. AuOnly on Saturdays and Sundays is additional time permitted. For instance, in the morning, after eating and having a shower, it is important that everyone is done before looking at or playing with mobile phonesAy (P. Another participant elaborated on the division of time for the use of devices: AuYes, itAos sporadicAisometimes after school in the afternoon, sometimes before bed in the eveningAy (P. Participant 5 provided information on the number of hours their children spent playing with devices each day: AuOne hour. The internet is shut off by turning off the WiFi as soon as I realize it has been taken, but sometimes it takes up to two hours if I forget because I overslept or forgot to set the alarmAy (P. Children may experience both advantageous and detrimental consequences as a consequence of interacting with electronic gadgets. The use of gadgets positively influences childrenAos language acquisition, as shown by the following participant statement: AuThere are advantages to learning new words. He spoke extremely well last night, but I canAot remember what he said. Despite the fact that my vocabulary at home is basicAy (P. In addition to knowledge, other participants provided information regarding the skills their children acquired as a result of using devices: AuThere is an impact. children pick up new skills to broaden their knowledge, like praying and alawAt on YouTubeAy (P. The adverse effects of gadget use on children include the proliferation of inappropriate marketing, less social interaction, and 184 iC AuYes, he became slammed stuff. My children play nonstop, lack social skills, have poor eye health from staring at screens too much . Ay (P. This is also supported by the statements of another participant: AuHis older brother is the worst, as he refuses to leave the house to play with his friendsAy (P. A different participant elaborated on the detrimental effects on his childAos eye health: AuThe negative impact is that their eyes become myopic due to using the mobile phone for too longAy (P. Furthermore, excessive gadget use has a detrimental effect on the dietary habits of children, as elucidated by participant: AuEating requires more time, food is not consumed, and she eats irregularlyAy (P. The Management of Preschool ChildrenAos Electronic Devices by Their Parents This theme can be subdivided into three subthemes: strategies adopted by parents. device management challenges, and successful electronic device management. Parents implement a range of strategies to regulate childrenAos use of gadgets, including limiting offline gadget use and establishing specific timeframes for usage. The following participant statements illustrate this point: AuWe watch the video on TV after downloading it from YouTubeAy (P. Different participants implemented strategies to restrict the duration of device use: Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction . AuThe internet is shut off by turning off the WiFi as soon as I realize it has been taken, but sometimes it takes up to 2 hours if I forget because I overslept or forgot to set the alarmAy (P. Participants 3 and 5 implemented a strategy that involved implementing rules that were consented to by the child, as evidenced by the following statements: AuYes, we first make an agreement with the for example, if the minute hand on the clock is already at 12, playing on the mobile phone must stopAy (P. AuHowever, if you have exceeded the time limit. I usually give a penalty. usually, you are not allowed to play electronic devices for 2 to 3 Ay (P. AuAll we do is reduce it. If we stop it completely, it will be a shame because all children are now like thatAy (P. An additional approach is to encourage children to engage in outdoor activities, as illustrated by the following statement: AuWe take them out of the house to a public space such as a playground or the rice fields. My child is content in this manner. So, we take a break from playing with our mobile phones. We sometimes accompany the children when they play mobile games because we are concerned that there may be inappropriate marketingAy (P. Parents have issues while introducing devices to their children, including the rise of gadget addiction, as shown by the following participant AuChildren are beginning to become addicted to using mobile phones. itAos as if they are uncontrollable at age five. We can talk to him For a while, we managed how much time was spent playing on the phone. In the past, it was challenging to regulate his temper tantrumsAy (P. The success of parents in regulating childrenAos use of devices stems from their resolute enforcement of established guidelines. articulated by the subsequent participants: AuWe were successful because his father and I must be firm yet tolerant when educating the childrenAy (P. This statement was supported by another AuSuccessful, very obedient, yet disobedient to the rules, despite being mischievousAy (P. A conceptual overview of the comprehension of gadget management in children . elective codin. is shown in Figure 1. Discussion The study findings demonstrate the experience of parents in regulating gadget use amongst children, from their initial introduction to their efforts to prevent addiction. The themes that have been identified show the influence of the nuclear family on the use of technology, the behavioral patterns of technology use within the family, and the efforts to manage gadget use amongst children. The Impact of the Nuclear Family on ChildrenAos Utilization of Electronic Devices The findings indicate that there may be a correlation between the nuclear family structure, comprising a father and mother, and the extent to which children engage with electronic devices. Indonesian society, mothers tend to engage in more activities with their children and provide them with companionship, while fathers are often occupied with professional responsibilities outside the home. Consequently, it is typically mothers who take the initiative in introducing electronic devices to their children. In Indonesia, this prevailing model of family structure entails that women assume domestic responsibilities and childcare duties while men actively engage in economic pursuits outside the household (Purbasari & Suryanto, 2. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . iC 185 Y. Fahrizal et al. Figure 1 ParentsAo Role in Preventing Electronic Device Gadget Addiction amongst Preschool Children Parents employed technological devices as tools for parenting (S. Noor et al. , 2. , while children use them for various purposes such as viewing films, engaging in social media activities, participating in online educational courses, playing games, and making phone calls (Rashid et , 2. It is essential for parents to be involved in the use of gadgets during the learning process for children aged 4-5 years (Rizki et al. , 2. Conflict between parents and children is also correlated with the incidence of gadget addiction in children (Kurnia et al. , 2. 186 iC The Behavioral Patterns Associated with the Utilization of Technological Devices by Preschool Children The phenomenon of childhood loneliness is children who encounter such feelings tend to exhibit heightened levels of boredom, which in turn contribute to a heightened susceptibility to developing an addiction to electronic devices (Li et al. , 2. According to the findings of a study involving nine individuals, the average duration of electronic device usage fell within the range of 2 to 4 years. In addition, a Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction . significant proportion of children . %) have been exposed to electronic devices by age two (Jafri & Defega, 2. The majority of parents permit their children to utilize such devices between the ages of 3 and 4Aithe significant impact of early exposure to electronic devices (Joseph et al. , 2. Children also tend to replicate the conduct exhibited by their parents when utilizing electronic devices. They learn by imitating the behavior of others in response to various stimuli (Rahman, 2. Parents rationalize that electronic devices could offer educational opportunities as well as serving as a source of The motivations behind using YouTube are that it is a platform for both educational and entertainment purposes (Iskandar & Nadifa, 2. YouTube Kids is a media platform that facilitates parental involvement in guiding childrenAos engagement with electronic devices. The use of such an application has the potential to contribute to the cognitive development of young children due to the predominantly positive nature of the content it offers (Lubis & Dasopang, 2021. Noor et al. The appropriate implementation of family digital literacy has significant importance during early life (Lindriany et al. , 2. Children predominantly utilize electronic devices when returning home from school, during dinner time, and prior to bedtime (Yana, 2. The utilization of electronic devices seems to have a discernible influence on the well-being of Their ocular health has been shown to be experiencing a decline as a result of the excessive amount of light that enters the eyes through the screens of electronic devices (Abdu et al. , 2. There is also a correlation between limited electronic device usage . nder 3 hours per da. among children and the occurrence of speech delays and diminished attention spans (Al Sagr & Al Sagr, 2. Children who exhibit electronic device addiction and engage excessively with electronic devices may be at risk for developing speech-language difficulties, speech delays, and behavioral issues (Aurelia et al. , 2. Delays in childrenAos speech can be attributed to various factors, including insufficient motivation, limited chances for conversation or communication, exposure to a foreign language, and parental challenges in fostering verbal expression (Bawono, 2. The premature utilization of electronic devices can lead to speech delays, resulting in disruptions in social contact (Ali & Agustina, 2. The overuse of such devices may also have the capacity to diminish cognitive capabilities (Liza et , 2. Excessive use of mobile phones among youngsters has been found to be associated with a heightened risk of developing mental and emotional illnesses (Wijoyo et al. , 2. Individuals who have encountered addiction to electronic gadgets are prone to experiencing heightened levels of anxiety in situations when they are not engaged with their devices. Elevated levels of anxiety are also associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior (Sari et al. , 2. Parental Management of Technological Devices among Preschool Children The study findings demonstrate the endeavors undertaken by parents regarding the administration of electronic devices and the obstacles they encounter. They make attempts to impose restrictions on electronic device usage, for example, by employing quota limits to ensure that children do not exceed a certain duration of use (Mascheroni et al. , 2. Furthermore, parents also enforce offline-only play, thereby limiting the extent to which children engage with their devices. Applications that children are permitted to access should possess the capability to facilitate enhanced color, form, and sound recognition (Yumarni. Parents also establish duration or time limits and serve as positive role models for their children Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . iC 187 Y. Fahrizal et al. (Neno, 2. In order to mitigate the potential risks associated with media/screen exposure in children under the age of two, it is recommended to implement a time restriction of one to two hours per day for screen or electronic device usage (Bassam & Qalawa, 2. The establishment of a well-structured schedule is of utmost importance in order to regulate and moderate the excessive use of electronic devices among children (Darmalaksana et al. , 2. The involvement of parents in actively supervising their childrenAos electronic device usage can provide favorable outcomes, as it promotes greater control over the content accessed by children on the internet (Asmawati. The presence of parents beside their children can foster a sense of affection and attention (Sahriana, 2. Engaging in supplementary pursuits, such as taking vacations or visiting relatives, can effectively diminish the use of electronic devices, hence facilitating a temporary break from reliance upon them (Manik et al. , 2. It is also important to provide children with alternative activities to reduce their reliance on such devices (Putri et al. It is necessary to ensure their interactions with the surrounding environment remain One effective approach is to provide games that can support their overall development. Moreover, aside from mitigating the risk of electronic device addiction, this approach has the potential to identify and nurture the latent skills of children (Zati et al. , 2. One primary difficulty parents encounter is managing their childrenAos tantrums and associated Tantrums can be attributed to three primary factors: the frustration experienced by children when their desires are unmet, the presence of inconsistent parenting practices, and fluctuations in childrenAos emotional states (Siwi & Safitri, 2. Preschool children who engage in high levels of media usage exhibit a greater 188 iC propensity for losing their temper and experience difficulty in achieving a state of calm when they become enthusiastic, in comparison to children who engage in low levels of media usage (Coyne et , 2. The utilization of games, particularly those characterized by violent themes, heightens the likelihood of aggressive conduct among individuals who engage in gameplay (Fahrizal & Pratama, 2. Gadget management is crucial nowadays because children live in an era where gadgets are developing very rapidly. Such management can ensure that childrenAos development remains optimal and does not develop into a problem, such as gadget addiction. All family members should participate in gadget management. As this study predominantly features mothers as the participants, future studies should to delve deeper into the fatherAos role and explore diverse viewpoints within the family. The study findings have the potential to inform the development of effective counseling and intervention programs to prevent gadget addiction in preschool children, as well as to identify psychological dynamic patterns. The lack of information concerning fathersAo experiences, the restricted range of information sources available, and the low number of individuals who participated in the study are all potential limitations of the research. Future researchers should consider the following recommendations: to include data sources from metropolitan regions and to devise therapeutic interventions to prevent children from becoming addicted to electronic devices. Conclusion The overuse of electronic devices in preschool children can lead to a range of physical, behavioral, emotional, and social challenges, which can hinder their growth and development. Hence, parental oversight is vital concerning the utilization of technological gadgets. The nuclear family plays a Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi Ai Vol 9. No 2 . ParentsAo role in preventing gadget addiction . crucial role in managing electronic devices among preschoolers and in treating and avoiding addiction to them in this age group. It is because the nuclear family is the primary entity that exposes children to electronic devices. Future studies should further investigate the role of fathers and examine other viewpoints within the family, since previous studies have predominantly focused on women. Acknowledgments The research team would like to express gratitude to the Research and Innovation Institute of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta for financing the study. We would also like to thank ABA Patukan Kindergarten for agreeing to be a study partner. The researcher would also want to thank everyone who assisted with the research. Author Contribution Statement Yanuar Fahrizal: Conceptualization. Data Curation. Formal Analysis. Methodology. Resources. Validation. Visualization. Writing. Review & Editing. Dian Mya Mariyana: Data Curation. Formal Analysis. Investigation. Writing Original Draft. Shukir Saleem Hasan: Validation. Writing. Review & Editing. References