Online orientation in early school grades: relationship with ADHD, boredom, concentration tendencies, and mothers’ parenting styles

This study investigated factors associated with online orientation and preferences in lower-grade schoolchildren, focusing on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), boredom, and concentration tendencies in both children and mothers, as well as maternal parenting styles. Data were collected...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Izumi Uehara, Yuji Ikegaya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592563/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study investigated factors associated with online orientation and preferences in lower-grade schoolchildren, focusing on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), boredom, and concentration tendencies in both children and mothers, as well as maternal parenting styles. Data were collected from 341 mothers (172 of boys, 169 of girls), who completed rating scales on these factors and reported their children’s preferred activities and those they could concentrate on for extended periods. Based on maternal responses, children were categorized into “online-concentrated” (n = 191) vs. “non-online-concentrated” (n = 150) and “online-play” (n = 95) vs. “non-online-play” (n = 246) groups. ADHD and boredom tendencies in children were strongly associated with an online orientation, while concentration tendencies were linked to a non-online orientation. Maternal boredom tendencies also appeared to influence children’s online orientation. Furthermore, higher maternal control was associated with increased engagement in non-online activities. These findings imply that parents should tailor their approach to managing children’s online activities based on their children’s individual traits (e.g., boredom and ADHD tendencies) while also considering their own behavioral tendencies, such as boredom.
ISSN:1664-1078