DE-202026101381-U1 - System for assessing the use of digital technologies by children and young people

DE202026101381U1DE 202026101381 U1DE202026101381 U1DE 202026101381U1DE-202026101381-U1

Abstract

A system for assessing the use of digital technologies by children and adolescents, consisting of: a user interaction interface configured to receive structured input data from a variety of users, including caregivers, children or adolescents, and professional assessors, via digital questionnaires, guided interview prompts, and observation input interfaces related to technology use and family interaction patterns; a session management unit that is operationally connected to the user interaction interface and configured to generate and control a variety of evaluation sessions, including mentoring sessions and subject sessions, wherein the session management unit stores session identifiers, response records, and observation entries corresponding to each session instance; a unit associated with the session management unit for classifying developmental stages, configured to place a subject into a predefined developmental stage group based on age-related input parameters, including early childhood, pre-puberty, and adolescence; a digital activity data collection unit configured to receive and store structured information related to interaction with technology, including device ownership status, application usage categories, screen exposure time, online communication interactions, and behavioral indicators related to technology use; a relational interaction analysis unit that is operationally connected to the digital activity data collection unit and the session management unit, wherein the relational interaction analysis unit is configured to correlate information from care sessions and subject sessions, including familial interaction patterns, behavioral responses during device restriction, sleep-related observations and reported social interactions in digital environments; a unit for creating mediation guides that communicates with the unit for analyzing relational interactions and is configured to generate structured digital mediation guide data, including recommended actions for caregivers, supervisory practices, limits to technology use, and family interaction activities corresponding to the categorized developmental stage; and a data storage unit that is operationally connected to the session management unit, the digital activity data collection unit, and the relational interaction analysis unit, wherein the data storage unit stores session records, digital activity information, relational interaction data, and mediation instruction records that are linked to individual participants and caregivers.

Assignees

BERNARDO OHIGGINS UNIV
CARRASCO MARIA DE LOS ANGELES
PEZOA VIVIANA TARTAKOWSKY
VILLEGAS RICARDO HENRIQUEZ

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20260311
Priority Date: 20260311

Claims (10)

A system for assessing the use of digital technologies in children and adolescents, comprising: a user interaction interface configured to receive structured input data from a variety of users, including caregivers, children or adolescents, and professional assessors, via digital questionnaires, guided interview prompts, and observation input interfaces related to technology use and family interaction patterns; a session management unit operationally connected to the user interaction interface and configured to generate and control a variety of assessment sessions, including caregiver sessions and subject sessions, with the session management unit storing session identifiers, response records, and observation entries corresponding to each session instance; and a developmental stage classification unit connected to the session management unit, configured to assign a subject to a predefined stage based on age-related input parameters. a developmental stage group, including early childhood, pre-puberty, and adolescence; a digital activity data collection unit configured to receive and store structured information related to technology interaction, including device ownership status, application usage categories, screen exposure time, online communication interactions, and technology-related behavioral indicators; a relational interaction analysis unit operationally linked to the digital activity data collection unit and the session management unit, the relational interaction analysis unit being configured to correlate information from care sessions and subject sessions, including familial interaction patterns, behavioral responses during device restriction, sleep-related observations, and reported social interactions in digital environments; a mediation guide generation unit that communicates with the relational interaction analysis unit and is configured to generate structured digital mediation guide data, including recommended actions for caregivers, supervisory practices, limits to technology use, and family interaction activities corresponding to the categorized developmental stage; and a data storage unit that is operationally connected to the session management unit, the digital activity data capture unit, and the relational interaction analysis unit, wherein the data storage unit stores session records, digital activity information, relational interaction data, and mediation guide records linked to individual subjects and caregivers.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the user interaction interface comprises a graphical interaction interface configured to display structured interview prompts corresponding to a variety of assessment categories, including device ownership, application usage behavior, communication interactions within digital platforms, behavioral changes related to technology access, and interactions in the caregiver-child relationship, wherein the graphical interaction interface records the user's responses via selectable input fields, text input fields, and observation logging fields.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the session management unit is configured to create a session structure comprising a caregiver assessment session and a subject assessment session, wherein the session management unit links responses from both sessions with a common subject identifier and stores the responses in chronologically ordered records within the data storage unit.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the developmental stage classification unit is configured to assign the subject to one of several predefined age groups, consisting of a first group corresponding to early childhood, a second group corresponding to pre-puberty, and a third group corresponding to adolescence, and wherein the session management unit activates a corresponding set of assessment prompts stored in the data storage unit for the assigned age group.
System according to Claim 1 , wherein the digital activity data collection unit is configured to collect technology interaction data, including smartphone ownership status, device acquisition age, application categories installed on the device, time spent interacting with screens, including mobile devices, tablets and televisions, and reported communication with unknown users via online platforms.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the relational interaction analysis unit is configured to compare information recorded during the caregiver's assessment session with information recorded during the test subject's assessment session to identify discrepancies in application usage, screen time, digital communication interactions, and previously discussed rules for technology use.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the relational interactions analysis unit is further configured to generate relational interaction indicators based on recorded observations, including the subject's emotional response to restricted access to a digital device, the frequency of familial interaction activities such as reading or personal communication, and the subject's participation in non-digital leisure activities.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the mediation guide generation unit is configured to create guidance records for caregivers, including recommended supervisory practices, communication guidelines between caregivers and subjects, Recommendations for planning digital use and suggestions for structured family interaction activities according to the identified developmental stage are included, and the session management unit is configured to record observational data entered by professional reviewers during a face-to-face interaction session, including observations of the subject's behavior, caregiver and subject interaction patterns, and the subject's responses to simulated or observed interactions with digital devices.
System according Claim 1 , wherein the data storage unit is configured to manage longitudinal evaluation datasets for a multitude of sessions linked to the same subject identifier, wherein the stored datasets include previously recorded caregiver responses, subject responses, digital activity indicators, and mediation guidance.
System according to Claim 1 , wherein the relational interaction analysis unit is configured to access the longitudinal evaluation datasets and identify temporal variations in the patterns of technology use, the supervisory practices of caregivers, and the behavioral indicators related to digital interaction across multiple evaluation sessions, and wherein the user interaction interface further includes a professional evaluation interface that enables psychologists, therapists, educators, or child development professionals to enter observational comments on sleep hygiene patterns, characteristics of behavior regulation, and social interaction behavior observed during the evaluation sessions.

Description

AREA OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to digital technologies for behavioral analysis and, in particular, to a structured technological system with associated device architecture for recording usage patterns of digital technologies in children and adolescents. The invention further relates to an integrated evaluation platform that records information from caregivers, responses from children and adolescents, and observations from professionals in order to generate structured recommendations tailored to the developmental stages of children and adolescents in their use of digital technologies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The increasing prevalence of smartphones, tablets, game consoles, and other networked digital devices has significantly influenced the behavioral development, communication patterns, and social interactions of children and adolescents. Digital technologies have opened up new learning opportunities, entertainment channels, and mechanisms for social networking; however, excessive or uncontrolled use of these technologies is associated with potential behavioral problems, including reduced personal social contact, sleep disturbances, increased contact with unknown online users, and difficulties maintaining a balanced family life. Caregivers and child development professionals often face the challenge of accurately assessing the nature and extent of children's and adolescents' technology interaction. Traditional assessment methods are often based on informal questions, unstructured interviews, or subjective observation without standardized mechanisms for capturing structured behavioral indicators. Such approaches typically fail to correlate the responses of caregivers and children, leading to an incomplete or inconsistent understanding of digital activity patterns. Furthermore, existing digital wellbeing tools primarily focus on recording device use without offering a structured analysis of the relationship between caregiver practices and children's behavioral responses to restricted access to digital devices. These systems also lack mechanisms for classifying children into appropriate developmental stages and for generating targeted intervention recommendations that consider age-appropriate behavioral aspects. Consequently, there is a need for a comprehensive technological system that can collect structured data on the usage patterns of digital technologies, evaluate indicators of the relationship interaction between caregivers and children, and generate practice-oriented intervention recommendations for different developmental stages. The present invention addresses these challenges through an integrated assessment system and a device architecture designed for the structured evaluation and analysis of the use of digital technologies by children and adolescents. The rapid spread of digital technologies has fundamentally changed the developmental environment of children and adolescents. Over the past two decades, the widespread use of smartphones, tablets, PCs, game consoles, and internet-enabled entertainment devices has led to an unprecedented level of digital interaction among young people. Children are increasingly exposed to digital environments—whether for educational purposes, social communication, or entertainment. While digital technologies offer significant benefits, such as access to educational resources, creative platforms, and communication channels, the increasing intensity and duration of media use have raised concerns among caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals regarding potential impacts on development, behavior, and mental health. Therefore, the need for systematic approaches to assess and monitor the usage patterns of digital technologies among children and adolescents has become increasingly critical. Traditional approaches to assessing children's technology use rely largely on observations, informal conversations, and self-assessment questionnaires administered by psychologists, pediatricians, or educators. In many clinical or counseling settings, professionals attempt to gather information on device ownership, screen time, the nature of digital activities, and technology-related behaviors. However, these traditional methods are often unstructured and heavily reliant on subjective interpretation. Caregivers may provide incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of a child's digital activities due to their limited insight into their online interactions, while children or adolescents may understate or misrepresent their actual usage patterns. Consequently, professionals frequently encounter discrepancies between observations, Caregivers and the child's self-assessments make it difficult to gain an accurate understanding of digital behavior patterns. Existing digital wellbeing tools attempt to address certain aspects of monitoring technology use. Many smartphone operating systems and third-party apps offer screen time tracking features that record dev