The Relationship between the Duration of Playing Gadget and Mental Emotional State of Elementary School Students

BACKGROUND: Technology has provided a type of facility in the world that currently makes the world like a virtual globe. One of the technologies currently used by humans is gadgets. Generally, children and adolescents nowadays often use gadget excessively. They use it excessively which may affect their social and emotional functions. AIM: This study aims to determine the relationship between the duration of playing gadget and mental-emotional state of elementary school students. METHODS: This study uses Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) which contains 25 questions that can be used for children aged 8 to 16 years. This research was conducted in August 2018 with fourth-grade students of Public Elementary School and Private Elementary School Medan as respondents. This study uses a cross-sectional study method with the chi-square test as a statistical hypothesis test. The number of respondents in this study was 103 students consist of 73 students of Public Elementary School and 30 students of Private Elementary School Medan. RESULTS: The results of this study found a relationship between the duration of playing gadgets on mental-emotional at elementary school students with a probability value of 0.0001 (p < 0.05) and the relationship between the frequency of using gadgets and mental-emotional with a probability value of 0.001 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant relationship between mental emotional and the duration of playing gadgets and the frequency of using gadgets elementary school students.