Approaches to Developing Media Literacy in Parents of Children with Digital Autism

ROZA ZHANGALIYEVA, Gulpara Baltabaevna Zhukenova, YULIY KUKINA, AYAULYM ADILKHANOVA

2026

Closed access Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.51889/2960-1649.2026.66.1.002
Data confidence 70 medium
How this score is calculated

It is built from checkable properties of the record itself: whether the article has a DOI, how many independent sources confirmed its data, whether the required fields are filled in, and how recent the latest confirmation is. Disagreement between sources and a missing identifier lower it. A value of 80 or above means the record was published without further checking; 60 to 79 means it is published at reduced confidence, with a manual check advisable. A record verified by an editor by hand is never pushed below 90 by a recalculation. This scores our data about the article, not the article itself.

Abstract

The study examines approaches to developing media literacy among parents of young children, focusing on families raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism-like symptoms associated with excessive passive screen exposure. The purpose was to assess baseline parental media literacy and mediation practices and to evaluate a short, culturally adapted media-education programme in Kazakhstan. Methodology and Methods. A quantitative quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a comparison group was applied. The sample included 56 parents of children aged 3–8 years, sampled through preschools, primary schools, and psychological–pedagogical centres. Media literacy was measured with a composite questionnaire, and mediation patterns and behaviours were also assessed. The intervention comprised four weekly group sessions with home tasks. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and Cohen’s d; ethics included informed consent, voluntary participation, and confidentiality. Results. Baseline media literacy was medium, with a gap between technical skills and critical components. Parents of children with “digital autism” more often used screens for calming and less frequently practiced co-viewing. After the programme, the experimental group increased the media literacy index and shifted toward active/enabling mediation. Scientific novelty. This study reveals the structure of parental media literacy in early childhood and links it to mediation patterns in families raising children with autism spectrum disorders/”digital autism.” Practical implications. Practical significance.The programme may be used as a modular parent-training component in preschool, inclusive education, and counselling services to reduce reliance on screens as a “digital pacifier” and to strengthen reflective mediation.