Exploring Factors Contributing to the Decline of Prosocial Behavior in Early Childhood in the Digital Era: A Systematic Literature Review

Declining prosocial behavior among young children (ages 3–6) has become an increasingly significant issue in the digital era and the post–COVID-19 period. This systematic literature review (SLR) synthesizes current evidence on the factors contributing to this decline, focusing on parental phubbing, excessive screen exposure, the impact of the pandemic, parenting patterns, and socio-cultural changes. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, literature searches were conducted through Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, and national repositories (GARUDA, Neliti). Of 346 identified articles, 15 met inclusion criteria after rigorous screening and methodological quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and CASP tools. Thematic narrative synthesis revealed four major clusters of contributing factors: (a) technological distraction and parental phubbing, which weaken emotional bonding; (b) excessive digital media exposure reducing opportunities for social interaction; (c) pandemic-related isolation diminishing natural social learning; and (d) unresponsive parenting and limited social play opportunities in early childhood education settings. These trends appear consistently across global and Indonesian contexts. Findings highlight the need for family- and school-based interventions to strengthen emotional connection, restore peer interaction, and promote digital literacy. Implications for early childhood education, parenting, and policy development are discussed.

Prosocial behavior, early childhood, parental phubbing, screen time

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