The increasing use of digital devices among young children highlights the importance of parental mediation in supporting healthy digital engagement and cognitive development. This study examined the effects of active mediation, restrictive mediation, and co-use on the cognitive development of children aged 5–6 years. A quantitative associative study with a cross-sectional design was conducted involving 42 parent–child pairs at TK Al Fhat Maraqitta’limat Sajang using total sampling. Data were collected through a parental mediation questionnaire and cognitive development observations based on the Child Development Achievement Standards. Multiple linear regression showed that active mediation (b = 0.412; p < 0.001), restrictive mediation (b = 0.285; p = 0.021), and co-use (b = 0.354; p = 0.003) significantly predicted cognitive development. Active mediation was the strongest predictor (β = 0.435). Collectively, the three dimensions significantly predicted cognitive development (F = 15.023; p < 0.001), explaining 54.2% of its variance (R² = 0.542). These findings underscore the importance of integrated parental mediation in children's digital media use.
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