What is Digital Parenting? A Mixed-Method Study Exploring Parents’ Views of the Role of Digital Technology in Parenting and Family Interactions

Background

Digital parenting is an evolving concept that needs to be further studied and understood more profoundly.

Objective

To explore the key themes of digital parenting and whether background factors (guardian type, children’s age, parents’ interest and competence in using digital technology) are related to these themes.

Methods

An online questionnaire with six semi-structured open-ended questions was asked from 174 parents. Using a mixed-method approach, first a thematic analysis was conducted to reveal the themes. Next the relationship between background factors and the prevalence of the different quantified themes were examined.

Results

Six main themes were generated based on parents’ responses: (1) parenting styles related to digital technology; (2) social interaction through digital technology; (3) activities involving digital technology; (4) benefits of digital technology for family; (5) downsides of digital technology for family; and (6) the desired changes to digital technology. The most common subthemes concerned parents’ attempts to restrict their children’s digital technology use, using digital technology together and individually and how digital technology promotes family’s social interactions. The parents with the lowest interest and competence in using digital technology were less likely to mention using it as a family. Compared to fathers, mothers were more likely to mention restricting digital technology and emphasize its negative impacts on family.

Conclusions

Restricting digital technologies (e.g., limiting screen time) was largely emphasised by the parents rather than supporting its use. Nonetheless, parents have implemented digital technologies in their family life and use them in many ways with family members.