Date of Completion

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy

Keywords

caregiving approaches, restricted, unrestricted, with supervision, work behaviors, attention, concentration, frustration tolerance, impulse control, digital fixation, early childhood

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of caregiving approaches on the work behaviors of digitally fixated children aged two to five years old in Cavite, Philippines. This paper examined how different caregiving approaches such as restricted, unrestricted, and with supervision influence a digitally fixated child’s work behaviors, specifically their attention, concentration, frustration tolerance, and impulse control. The study also contributed a novel caregiver approach classification tool developed and validated specifically for the Philippine context. A descriptive correlational quantitative design was employed to explain the relationship between the caregiving approaches employed by the caregiver and the child's work behaviors. Participants selected through purposive and convenience sampling were a caregiver-child dyad. All 75 participants completed a researcher-developed tool that determines their caregiving approach and rated their child's work behaviors using adapted instruments tailored to each domain. Descriptive statistics showed that a restricted caregiving approach was the most prevalent, secondary to supervised, then unrestricted, whereas caregiver-reported data implied an average quality of work behaviors. Spearman's Rank Correlation denoted a very weak but positive correlation, which had no statistically meaningful association between the caregiving approaches and work behaviors. Kruskal-Wallis H Test revealed significant differences in children's work behaviors among the employed caregiving approaches. Dunn's post hoc test further solidified the claims as it confirmed that the restricted approach showed higher levels of work behaviors in contrast to the supervised and unrestricted approach. These findings suggest that restrictive enforcement of digital use may have a positively significant effect on digitally fixated children's specific work behaviors.

First Advisor

Michael Balabat, OTRP

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