Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Barragan, Armando

Abstract

Electronic device use among children and adolescents is omnipresent. Literature suggests an inverse correlation between electronic device use and the overall well-being of children and adolescents. The current study employed an explanatory research design to explore the association between excessive device use and the well-being of children and adolescents. Researchers collected and analyzed quantitative data in the form of archival data from a local school district’s mental health department. A total of 50 participants, ranging from ages 5 to 17, were randomly selected from the 2018-2019 archived case files. The results of the study suggest that electronic device use has no significant impact on the well-being of children and adolescents. Specifically, no significant correlation was found between number of hours children and adolescents spend using electronic devices and their well-being: problematic behaviors, GPA, hours of sleep, diagnoses, peer support, and health problems. Nonetheless, social workers should take into consideration previous literature when assessing and treating children and adolescents in a mental health setting.

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