The Effect of Digital Play Intensity and Social Interaction on Preschoolers' Expressive Language Skills

Abstract

The digitalization era has fundamentally transformed the developmental landscape of preschool children, creating a new paradigm in the interaction between technology and language acquisition. This study aims to analyze the simultaneous influence of digital play intensity and social interaction on preschoolers' expressive language ability using a correlational quantitative design with a cross-sectional approach. The research sample involved 20 children aged 4–6 years enrolled in early childhood education centers (PAUD) in Tasikmalaya City, West Java, selected through purposive sampling based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Research instruments included a modified Screen Time Questionnaire to measure digital play intensity, the Social Interaction Scale for Preschoolers to evaluate social interaction, and the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument to assess expressive language ability. Data were collected through structured observation over 4 weeks following standard protocols, and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 with multiple linear regression techniques. The findings revealed a significant negative effect of digital play intensity on expressive language ability, where each additional 1 hour of daily screen time was associated with a decrease of 4.183 points in expressive language scores. Conversely, social interaction showed a stronger positive, with every 1-point increase in social interaction scores correlating with a 0.672-point improvement in expressive language ability. This study provides significant empirical contributions to the development of evidence-based guidelines in early childhood education practice, highlighting the importance of achieving an optimal balance between educational digital technology and high-quality social interaction as a comprehensive strategy to optimize expressive language development during the critical preschool years.