Social-Emotional Development of Elementary School Children in the Digital Era: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of digital technology advancements, especially onlinebased learning, on the social-emotional development of elementary school children. This study seeks to understand the challenges and opportunities in supporting children's socialemotional skills in the midst of changes in social interaction patterns due to digitalization. This study uses a systematic literature review method by searching databases such as Google
Scholar and Mendeley. Relevant articles from 2019–2025 were selected based on specific inclusion criteria, then analyzed with a thematic synthesis approach to identify key themes regarding children's social-emotional development in the context of the digital age. The results of the study show that the social-emotional development of elementary school-age children is strongly influenced by family support, social value-based school programs, and the use of technology. A supportive family environment, the implementation of programs such as the Adiwiyata School, and real social interaction have been proven to support children's emotional regulation, empathy, and social skills. Conversely, excessive use of technology, especially smartphones, can inhibit social skills, decrease empathy, and increase emotional dependence. This study has limitations because it only uses secondary data from the reviewed articles, so the generalization of results depends on the quality of the available literature. In addition, variations in cultural backgrounds in the reviewed studies limited the widespread application of the results. These findings emphasize the importance of the active role of families, teachers, and communities in balancing the use of technology and improving the quality of children's social interactions. Practical implications include the importance of character education, the establishment of a healthy digital literacy culture, and the integration
of social-emotional programs in the elementary school curriculum. This research enriches the discourse on children's social-emotional development in the digital era, by highlighting the importance of synergy between the family environment, school, and the wise use of
technology. This study also opens up space for the development of education policies that are more adaptive to the challenges of digitalization in elementary school-age children..