COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD

COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS

CONCEPT PAPER

Research Title

The Effect of Smartphones on the Behavior of Generation Alpha Children

Introduction

The use of smartphones in the daily lives of people has become a necessity and

an essential part of a modern human’s day to day life. In Korea alone, there are about

32,730,000 smartphone users, and more than half of the population is using

smartphones every day. More and more people started to use smartphones ever since

cheap phones which are 50% cheaper than the original price of smartphones was

introduced (Park & Park, 2014). In this generation, it is of convenience to own such

gadgets for it makes purchasing and paying bills easier and faster all while being at

home. It has a massive part in providing leisure for users. Along with that, smartphones

can be versatile in the field of health through its apps. It can play a vital role in patient

education, disease self-management, and remote monitoring of patients (Mosa et al.,

2012). With the technology available nowadays, this kind of service would be easier to

provide. Smartphones are also incorporated in learning among all ages. From receiving

files and presentations from professors to searching for quick answers, to watching

child-friendly educational videos, it can easily be done in one device alone.

However, as much as smartphones have been providing great help to the users,

it has also shown negative effects. Physiologically, it affects our eyes because of stress

and strain from the brightness and extensive graphics causing Chronic Dry Eyes
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
B.S. AQUINO DRIVE BACOLOD CITY 6100 PHILIPPINES

Syndrome. Spending long hours using the phone also affects the digestion, respiration

rate, heart rate, and the quality of sleep and rest of the user. This can also affect the

posture due to spending hours looking on the device with the neck bent downwards

and arms not moving from its initial position. But most importantly, it affects the user

psychologically. Firstly, as stated in an article by Nikhita et al. (2015), Mobile Phone

Dependence has been found to be an emerging public health problem. This is

associated with increased frequency and duration of use, and the utilization of

smartphones. In addition, according to Nath (2018), the smartphone might be affecting

one’s thought process, behavior, and attitudes in a more negative and faster way.

Meaning, such device has the power to influence the most important decision-making

processes and choices. It changes personality, it changes the behavior of a person. This

is something the users should ponder upon – especially in the children of this

generation.

Children nowadays do not spend time playing outside anymore. Rather, they stay

in the comfort of their home and play or watch videos on their smartphones. Although,

this is preferred by most parents as being inside keeps the children away from

accidents. Parents believe that providing their children with such a device at an early

age would be able to learn things while keeping them behaved. The use of a

smartphone to occupy young children during daily routines such as errands, car rides,

and eating out is becoming a common behavioral regulation tool: what the industry

terms a “shut-up toy” (Radesky et al., 2014). This statement may be partially true
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
B.S. AQUINO DRIVE BACOLOD CITY 6100 PHILIPPINES

however, according to Genc (2014), the prevalent use of smartphones by preschoolers

is generally not for educational purposes but games. And what most parents do not

realize is that they are putting their child in a more life-changing situation such as

behavioral alterations that could affect them as they grow older.

The use of smartphones among the Generation Alpha children has been

normalized however the parents disregard the negative effects of the said device

because of the few positive outcomes it provides. A research by Hosokawa et. al.

(2018) stated that frequent usage of such device among children can lead to social

isolation which may eventually resulting in depression and loneliness and interferes with

social development. Moreover, it reduces the parent–child interaction such as shared

reading and playing together with toys, which reduces opportunities for verbal

interaction with parents. The lack of this interaction leads to poor language

development and self-regulation, and later academic achievement. A child could also

not be able to develop good problem-solving skills and creative expression since they

do not spend playtime with their peers. If left unsupervised, curious children often

wander to games and videos that portrays violence and aggression which can lead to

aggressive and violent behavior. And lastly, the bright light emitting from the device

disrupts the melatonin production and increases autonomic activation due to

hyperarousal. These cause sleep disturbances which affect children’s behavior as well

as their capacity to pay attention.

The researchers are intent on learning more about this study because of the

commonality of this occurrence among children today. The researchers have noticed a

distinct difference between the children of the earlier generation (e.g. Generation Y

a.k.a. “Millennials” and the Generation Z or Gen Z) and today’s generation famously

known as the Generation Alpha. The way they behave, speak and communicate as

children have caught our attention and led us to be curious about what set off this

change of behavior. This study aims to provide substantial proof that the usage of

smartphones among children aging from 3-10 years old is a significant factor in the

changes in their emotional and psychological well-being within the allotted time of six

months. Although the search for willing participants would be a challenge, the

researchers are hoping to find the said participants within the vicinity of Bacolod City,

Negros Occidental. This is to provide convenience for the researchers as well as the

participants during the observations and home visits if necessary.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the effect of smartphones on the behavior of

Generation Alpha children. Specifically, it will seek to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of Generation Alpha children when group according to:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Family Structure

 Parents
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
B.S. AQUINO DRIVE BACOLOD CITY 6100 PHILIPPINES

 Siblings

d. Maternal/Paternal Employment Status

2. What are the effects of smartphones on the behavior of Generation Alpha

children in terms of their:

a. Conduct Problems

b. Hyperactivity/Inattention 

c. Emotional Symptoms

d. Peer Problems

e. Pro-social Behavior 

3. Is there significant relationship between the profile and behavior of Generation

Alpha children in terms of:

a. Gender

b. Age

c. Family Structure

 Parents

 Siblings

d. Maternal/Paternal Employment Status

e. Parent/Child Interactions

4. How much time do the children spend time on mobile technology in terms of:

a. Education

b. Gaming

c. Entertainment
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
B.S. AQUINO DRIVE BACOLOD CITY 6100 PHILIPPINES

d. Social Media

5. What are the lived experiences of parents with Generation Alpha children?

Significance of the Study

The results of this study may be beneficial to the following sectors and for the

following reasons and implications:

Parents. Through this study, the results will make the parents to be acquainted

to the changes of behaviors of their children and able to spring up new methods to deal

with it.

App developers. The outcome of the study will be beneficial to the app

developers for they will able to become aware of the aftermath of their app program to

the young mind and to provide proper parental guidance as to age verification.

Students. Through this study, the results will make the students to become

aware of the changes in their physical and psychosocial behavior as the effect of

smartphones to them. To be able to discern what appropriate app for them to use.

Future Researchers. The outcome of the study is beneficial to the future

researchers. The study maybe one of the bases that a new theory in learning will use.

Researcher. Through this study, the researcher will be able to determine the

effect of smartphone on the behavior of Generation Alpha children.

Research Design

This study aims to determine the effect of smartphones on the behavior of

Generation Alpha children. With this study, the researchers have opted to use the

mixed method research design in obtaining data. A descriptive quantitative method will

be used to determine the relationship between the changes in the behavior of children

within the age range of 3-10 years old and the amount of time they spend using a

smartphone. In addition to this, the researchers will also be grouping the child

participants according to their age and gender to have a quantifiable result on what

application on the device affects their behavior the most.

On the other hand, qualitative research will be used in this study to gather data

in order to obtain results from observing the children and interviewing their parents or

guardians on how the child behaves at home under their supervision. With the use of a

survey given to the parents, the researchers will be able to find out which of the

different variables in using the device greatly affects the behavior of the child

participant. Through a phenomenological method, the researchers will interview the

parents on their lived experiences.

Participants of the Study

The participants of the study will be children ages 3-10 years old which is the

age group under the Generation Alpha and their parents living in Bacolod City, Negros

Occidental. Quantitatively, the researchers will feature 3 to 10-year-olds who are

spending long hours using phone for 6 months. The parents of the participants will be

interviewed and surveyed for qualitative research as participants are still not capable to

answer the questions. In addition, the parents will be interviewed for their experiences

as parents of a Generation Alpha child/children.

Data Gathering Procedure

Children’s parents were informed of the study purpose and procedures, and were

made aware that they were not obligated to participate. The parents provided their

written informed consent on behalf of their children prior to participating in this

research.

Qualitatively, the data collection will start with maximum variation purposive

sampling. The researchers will fairly straightforward reject the individuals who do not fit

a particular profile when creating the sample. The data will be gathered through in-

depth interview and observation wherein the approach for data collection involves

systematically gathering information and recording it in such a way that it can be

preserved and analyzed by a single researcher or a team of researchers. On this form,

the researcher records a description of events and processes observed, as well as

reflective notes about emerging codes, themes, and concerns that arise during the

observation. The researcher needs to enter sites in a way that is respectful and does

not disrupt the flow of activities. Ethical issues, such as providing reciprocity to

participants for their willingness to provide data, handling sensitive information, and

disclosing the purposes of the research where applied.

Quantitatively, researchers use The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

(SDQ); it is a 25-item measure of parents’ perceptions of their children’s prosocial and

difficult behaviors. The measure is categorized into five subscales: conduct problems

(five items), hyperactivity/inattention (five items), emotional symptoms (five items),

peer problems (five items), and prosocial behavior (five items). In this study, the

conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms, and peer problems

subscales were used to assess children’s behavioral problems. Items were rated on a 3-

point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Not true) to 2 (Certainly true).

References:

Park, C., & Park, Y. R. (2014). The Conceptual Model on Smart Phone Addiction among

Early Childhood. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity , 4(2), 147–

150. https://doi.org/10.7763/ijssh.2014.v4.336

Mosa, A. S. M., Yoo, I., & Sheets, L. (2012). A Systematic Review of Healthcare

Applications for Smartphones. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making ,

12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-12-67

Nikhita, C. S., Ajinkya, S., & Jadhav, P. (2015). Prevalence of Mobile Phone Dependence

in Secondary School Adolescents. Journal Of Clinical And Diagnostic Research .

https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2015/14396.6803
 COLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN – BACOLOD
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
B.S. AQUINO DRIVE BACOLOD CITY 6100 PHILIPPINES

Nath, A. (2018). Comprehensive study on negative effects of mobile phone/smart

phone on human health. International journal of innovative research in computer

and communication engineering, 6(1), 575-581.

Radesky, J. S., Schumacher, J., & Zuckerman, B. (2014). Mobile and Interactive Media

Use by Young Children: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown. Pediatrics, 135(1),

1–3. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-2251

Genc, Z. (2014). Parents’ Perceptions about the Mobile Technology Use of Preschool

Aged Children. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences , 146, 55–60.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.08.086

Hosokawa, R., & Katsura, T. (2018). Association between mobile technology use and

child adjustment in early elementary school age. PloS one, 13(7), e0199959.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199959

McCrindle, M. (2020, October 21). Understanding Generation Alpha. McCrindle.

https://mccrindle.com.au/insights/blog/gen-alpha-defined/.