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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Determinants of Parental Perceptions of Children’s Strengths and Difficulties Related to Smart Device Use: A Comparative Study in Jordan and Malaysia

Rami Masa’deh1 ,  Natasya Abdullah2* ,  Samiha Jarrah1 ,  Mohammad Hamdi Abuadas3 ,  Nadeeya ‘Ayn Umaisara Mohamad Nor2 ,  Noor Azura Mat Said2 ,  Suhaila Sanip2 ,  Issa Saeed Aladarbi1 ,  Aaliyah Muntaser Mohammad Momani1
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1 Applied Science Private University, Amman 11937, Jordan
2 Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
3 Basic Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan
HPR, 0242 https://doi.org/10.36922/hpr.0242
Received: 8 August 2025 | Revised: 11 September 2025 | Accepted: 12 September 2025 | Published online: 21 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Connecting Mind to Body: the Psychosomatic Perspective)
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background

Smart device use among children is increasing worldwide, often exceeding the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended screen-time limits. Because mind–body development in early childhood is highly interconnected, and behavioral patterns, emotional responses, and physiological regulation are still forming, inappropriate smart device use may influence children’s behavioral, emotional, and physical well-being.

Objective

This study aims to examine determinants of parental perceptions of children’s behavioral strengths and difficulties in relation to smart device use and compare these determinants between Jordan and Malaysia.

Methods

A quantitative cross-sectional comparative design was employed. Convenience samples of 307 Jordanian parents and 234 Malaysian parents of children aged 5–7 years completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, items related to smart device use, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results

Malaysian parents were significantly older than Jordanian parents (36.39±5.29 vs. 34.57 ± 5.09 years; t(539) = −4.04, p = 0.000), and Jordanian parents reported higher SDQ difficulty scores than Malaysian parents (15.0 ± 5.46 vs. 13.17 ± 4.14; t(538.989) = 7.10, p = 0.000), with both means falling in the borderline range. Jordanian children were significantly older than Malaysian children (6.23 ± 0.82 vs. 6.08 ± 0.70; t(531.929) = 2.305, p = 0.022). Smartphones were the most commonly used device in both countries (Jordan: 57.9%; Malaysia: 59.9%). Jordanian children spent significantly more time using smart devices (2.91 ± 1.92 vs. 2.23 ± 2.14 hours/day; t(539) = 3.863, p = 0.000). Across both samples, lower parental education, maternal respondents, and longer child screen time were significantly associated with higher SDQ total difficulty scores. Construct validity testing supported the SDQ’s cross-cultural validity.

Conclusion

Although smart devices offer benefits, excessive or inappropriate use is associated with behavioral difficulties in children in both Jordan and Malaysia. Parents should adhere to global recommendations regarding screen-time duration and content to mitigate potential negative effects on child behavior.

Keywords
Smart devices
Early childhood
Behavioral difficulties
Parental perception
Jordan
Malaysia
Funding
This research was funded by Malaysia and Jordan. In Malaysia, it was supported by the Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Matching Research Grant (grant number: USIM/ MG/ASU/FPSK/SEPADAN-A/72723). In Jordan, the research was funded by the Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan (grant number: INT-DRGS-2022-2023-12).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
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