The effect of environment on child development: The association of digital technology use, home literacy environment and physical activity with the well-being of children in early school years

In the context of the contemporary study on the influence of the environment on children’s development, the DigiLitA project seeks to achieve a better understanding of the connections between certain environmental factors, specifically the use of digital technology, the literacy environment in which children are growing up, and physical activity in children of early school age with their well-being measured through life satisfaction, executive functions, academic success, physical and mental health. The project consists of three independent studies that, using different methodologies and samples of participants, attempt to empirically verify a conceptual model of the possible effects and mechanisms of influence of children’s digital environment on their well-being, by simultaneously considering other characteristics of their environment, such as a literacy environment and an environment that encourages physical activity. Thus, the studies are conceptualized to enable the determination of unique contributions of using DT in predicting children’s well-being. The creation of the environmental factors in middle childhood depends on the parents, therefore the first study (S1) uses qualitative methodology to examine the perception and attitudes of parents regarding the creation of the developmental environment. The second, longitudinal study (S2) with three measurement points over two years, examines the possibility of predicting different indicators of child well-being based on different environmental factors. The participants are first-grade children who are individually assessed at the start of the first grade and the end of the first and second grades of elementary school, while their parents use questionnaires to provide various assessments of the children’s well-being and information on environmental factors. Finally, the third study (S3) is a questionnaire study to check the same constructs, but on a larger sample of parents of children with normal development and children with special needs. The DigiLitA project aims to provide scientific answers about the effect of environmental factors on the child’s well-being and provide a base for the development and implementation of programs aimed at increasing the well-being of children growing up in the digital world. The project leader is Marina Kotrla Topić, Ph. D., and members of the research group are, from Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Andreja Brajša-Žganec, Ph. D., Tihana Brkljačić, Ph. D., Marija Džida, Ph. D., Katarina Perić Pavišić, Ph. D., Maja Kućar, Lana Lučić, and Ana-Marija Čango, as well as Marina Merkaš, Ph. D. (Catholic University of Croatia), Marina Perković Kovačević, Ph. D. (Clinical Hospital Center Osijek), Silvija Mihaljević, mag. spec (Elementary school Antun Mihanović Osijek), Marija Heffer, Ph. D. (University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine), Sinéad McNally, Ph. D. (Dublin City University, Institute of Education) and Tiffany Munzer, M. D. (University of Michigan, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics).