Digital Game Addiction Tendency of Preschool Children: How Does It Affect Social Skills?

This quantitative research investigates the relationship between preschool children’s social skills and digital game addiction tendencies. A total of 591 parents participated in the study. Demographic Information Form, “Digital Game Addiction Tendency Scale,” and “Social Skills Evaluation Scale for Preschool Children” were used to collect the data. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between digital game addiction tendencies and social skills. Specifically, as digital game addiction tendencies increased, social skills decreased. Additionally, the findings indicated that, overall, preschool children exhibited low levels of digital game addiction tendencies. These results highlight the importance of monitoring and managing digital game use in early childhood to support the development of social skills.

Cite this article as: Dokumacı, C., & Kardeş, S. (2026). Digital game addiction tendency of preschool children: how does it affect social skills? HAYEF: Journal of Education, 23, 0020, doi: 10.5152/hayef.2026.25020.