ABSTRACT

THE PROBLEM OF SMARTPHONE ADDICTION ISN'T LIMITED TO CHILDREN, IT'S BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF MODERN LIFE. MACAU, A CITY WHOSE ECONOMY RELIES ON GAMING AND TOURISM, IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST WEALTHIEST CITIES IN THE REGION. MANY FAMILIES IN MACAU HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO AFFORD SMARTPHONES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. DRAWING ON THE TRADITIONAL ASIAN CULTURE OF FEMALE AS THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER, THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY INTERVIEWED MACAU-BORN ADULT FEMALE TO GATHER THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND OPINIONS ON CHILDREN'S SMARTPHONE DEPENDENCE. IT IS INTERESTING TO DISCOVER THAT THE DIFFERENCE AMONG AGE GROUPS IN TERMS OF THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND PERCEPTIONS ON USE THE SMARTPHONE. THIS STUDY HAS IDENTIFIED FIVE MAIN THEMES FROM QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTED FROM 13 PARTICIPANTS NAMELY: (1) FUNCTIONALITY OF SMART PRODUCTS; (2) IMPACTS OF USE OF SMART PRODUCTS; (3) PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE; (4) MATERNAL RESPONSIBILITIES; (5) NGO AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES. THE RESEARCH FINDINGS INDICATE THAT ENHANCING FAMILY EDUCATION, ADDRESSING GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES AMONG PARENTS, IS CRUCIAL FOR SUPERVISING AND EDUCATING CHILDREN ON THE APPROPRIATE AND HEALTHY USE OF SMARTPHONE AND RELATED ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS. THE RESEARCH ADVOCATES FOR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AMONG SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY STAKE-HOLDERS, AND POLICY MAKERS TO BETTER PREPARE CHILDREN IN MACAU FOR THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF IRREVERSIBLE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.