Parental Mediation Regarding Children's Smartphone Use: Role of Protection Motivation and Parenting Style

Abstract

Parental mediation is a type of behavior that could protect children against the negative uses and effects of smartphones. Based on protection motivation theory, this research (a) predicted parental mediation based on parents' threat and efficacy perceptions and (b) predicted threat and efficacy perceptions based on parenting styles and parents' addiction to smartphone use. An online survey of 448 parents of fourth to sixth graders was conducted. Results showed that both restrictive and active parental mediation were predicted by perceived severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy. With regard to parenting styles, (a) authoritative parenting was positively related to perceived severity as well as response- and self-efficacy, whereas (b) permissive parenting was negatively related to self-efficacy. In addition, parents' addiction was a negative predictor of perceived severity, but a positive predictor of perceived susceptibility.

Analysis of Problematic Smartphone Use Across Different Age Groups within the ‘Components Model of Addiction’

“…These results may reflect diminishing parental control while showing that partners, employers, and/or friends may confront individuals in this age group when noticing the individual's exaggerated use of their smartphone. These findings are in concordance with the results of other studies reporting that positive parental control can prevent excessive smartphone use (Hwang et al 2017), while the lack of parental involvement in setting rules for the amount and content of smartphone use may be a risk factor for problematic smartphone use among children (Lian et al 2016).…”

Social implications of children’s smartphone addiction: The role of support networks and social engagement

“…This result extends previous studies indicating that a good parent–child relationship may protect children from media addiction by lessening social anxiety and providing feelings of security, attachment, and support ( Lam et al., 2009 ; Liu & Kuo, 2007 ). While previous studies have emphasized direct parental intervention in smartphone addiction ( Ching & Tak, 2017 ; Hwang & Jeong, 2015 ; Hwang et al., 2017 ), this study suggests that having a good relationship with children may indirectly diminish smartphone addiction.…”

“…The second is parental networks (including, hereafter, legal guardians). Most studies of smartphone addiction have focused on parent interventions and mediation in preventing smartphone addiction among the children, such as by restricting media use, setting rules for the amount of time and type of content viewed, and explaining and discussing the media ( Ching & Tak, 2017 ; Hwang, Choi, Yum, & Jeong, 2017 ; Hwang & Jeong, 2015 ). However, the research also suggests that parents may play an important role in preventing media addiction among children by providing feelings of security and support.…”

Growing up with Google: How children's understanding and use of internet‐based devices relates to cognitive development

“…The likelihood that parents will mediate their child's use of internet‐based devices has been linked to parent characteristics, including parent age (Lauricella, Wartella, & Rideout, ; Livingstone et al, ) and education level (Valcke, Bonte, De Wever, & Rots, ), and the parent's comfort using technology (Livingstone et al, ). Parenting style is also predictive of the extent to which parents mediate their child's technology use, such that children of more authoritarian parents spend less time using mobile devices and the internet (Hwang, Choi, Yum, & Jeong, ; Valcke et al, ). Another factor related to parent mediation of children's device use is how often parents use internet‐based devices themselves and how they feel about it.…”