Screen use by adolescents in residential care: implications of length of stay in care centres for socio-educational intervention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2026.48.02Keywords:
Adolescence, child protection, identity, social education, Internet, screensAbstract
Screens have reshaped the ways adolescents interact and construct their identities, yet there is a notable lack of studies addressing this perspective in vulnerable groups, particularly those under the child protection system. This study focuses on analyzing the influence of screen use, online exposure, self-control, and overcoming difficulties according to the length of stay in the center among adolescents in residential care. A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted with a sample of 258 adolescents aged 12 to 18 who were under guardianship in child protection centers in Castilla y León. An ad hoc questionnaire validated through expert judgment (n=13) was administered, consisting of 8 items grouped into four dimensions: use, exposure, self-control, and overcoming difficulties (total α = 0.829). Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed. The results suggest that those who have spent less time in the center (1–7 months) primarily use the Internet to maintain family ties, underscoring the need to develop early interventions focused on digital self-control. Significant correlations were found between relational Internet use and exposure oriented toward social validation. These findings highlight the need to design socio-educational interventions tailored to the stage of placement, promoting a critical and regulated use of screens as a resource for inclusion and positive identity development.
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