Parents’ and Educators’ Perceptions of the Impact of Media Exposure on the Cognitive and Communicative Development of Preschool Children

Abstract

Modern childhood is characterized by intense media exposure, which simultaneously carries developmental opportunities and risks. The aim of this research was to examine how parents and educators in Serbia perceive the impact of different types of media content on the cognitive and communicative development of preschool children, with a special emphasis on the differences in perceptions between these two groups. The research was conducted on a sample of 205 respondents – 105 educators and 100 parents of children aged 3 to 6 from different regions of Serbia. Two original questionnaires were constructed for the research – the Educator Questionnaire (28 items) and the Parent Questionnaire (22 items) – both using a five-point Likert scale. The data were processed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square test of independence, supplemented by Cramér’s V as a measure of effect size. The results show that respondents perceive educational and interactive media content as a positive developmental activity, while passive and entertaining content in both groups is associated with negative perceptions. In all measured dimensions, statistically significant differences in perceptions between educators and parents were found (p < 0.05), with educators taking a more critical stance. The findings indicate the need to develop media literacy programs and harmonize approaches between families and preschool institutions.