Internet Uses and parental mediation in adolescents with ADHD

Abstract

Abstract:The youth of today lives in the midst of a technological revolution, particularly in the field of communications (e-chats, mobile telephones, Messenger, etc.). In many parts of Spain, the Internet has overtaken television, not only as a source of entertainment and recreation among teenagers, but also as a socialisation force. Adolescents suffering from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have specific characteristics that may make them more vulnerable when using new technologies. Consequently, it is important to investigate the ways in which these teenagers use the Internet. This study attempts to identify, through the application of the Television Viewing Habits Questionnaire CH-TV 0.2, the possible differences between teenagers with ADHD and normal teenagers, with regards to Internet use, purpose of use, and parental mediation. The results, which are based on a sample of 232 adolescents from the Basque Country (Spain), indicate differences in Internet use profiles between adolescents with ADHD and the normal adolescent population. Contrary to our hypothesis, the former group uses the Internet less than the latter. Furthermore, despite the fact that for both sample groups the principal purpose of using the Internet was communication, significant differences were detected. In relation to parental mediation, teenagers with ADHD reported a higher degree of instructive and restrictive mediation.

Parental mediation, cyber victimization, adjustment difficulties, and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

“…Such a future direction is important because there is research evidence that parents utilize different parental mediational strategies for ADHD versus non-ADHD adolescents (Arrizabalaga-Crespo et al, 2010). Adolescents with ADHD reported that their parents used more restrictive and instructive mediational strategies for their technology use than adolescents without ADHD.…”

The Buffering Effect of Parental Mediation in the Relationship between Adolescents' Cyberbullying Victimisation and Adjustment Difficulties

“…These results indicate the important role of co‐viewing mediation and instructive mediation in buffering against the consequences associated with cyberbullying victimisation. Co‐viewing mediation and instructive mediation might be parental mediation strategies that involve social support, though co‐viewing mediation might offer lower levels of this support (Arrizabalaga‐Crespo et al ., ). Social support has been implicated as exerting a buffering effect on the depression and anxiety that result from a variety of negative experiences in adolescents' lives, including online and offline victimisation (Cheng et al ., ; Ybarra et al ., ).…”

“…Overprotective parents also parent through fear, which could leave their children vulnerable to negative online experiences, particularly cyberbullying victimisation (Clarke et al ., ; Lereya et al ., ). Although parents who utilise co‐viewing mediation do not typically discuss content, they frequently utilise digital media content with their children and it might be likely that they occasionally discuss appropriate content and ways to deal with such content (Arrizabalaga‐Crespo et al ., ). This minimal amount of intervention from one's parents might reduce adolescents' vulnerability to cyberbullying victimisation.…”

“…Adolescents were asked to indicate how often on a scale of one ( completely disagree ) to five ( completely agree ) that their parents were involved in their digital media usage (Arrizabalaga‐Crespo et al ., ). This questionnaire included eight questions and three subscales: restrictive (4 items; sample item: ‘My parents impose a time limit on the amount of time that I surf the internet’), co‐viewing (3 items; sample item: ‘My parents surf the internet with me’) and instructive (2 items; sample item: ‘My parents show me how to use the internet and warn me about its risks’).…”

“…Parental mediation strategies can include restrictive, co‐viewing and instructive (Arrizabalaga‐Crespo et al ., ). Restrictive mediation involves parents who prevent their children from accessing certain content through digital media.…”