Parental Experiences of Negotiating Teenagers' Independence and Boundaries in a Technology-Driven World

This study explores parental experiences of negotiating adolescents’ independence and boundaries in a technology-driven world within the South African context. Grounded in an integrated framework of Family Systems Theory and Self-Determination Theory, and guided by a transformative qualitative paradigm, the research examines how parents conceptualise digital autonomy, establish boundaries, and balance protection with adolescents’ need for independence. A phenomenological design was employed, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected parents of teenagers aged 13–18 from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that adolescent independence is increasingly digital-centric, with autonomy expressed through online engagement rather than traditional responsibilities. Parents experienced ongoing tensions between fostering responsibility and managing overuse, as well as between enforcing control and supporting autonomy. While structured rules such as screen-time limits and monitoring practices were common, many parents also engaged in negotiation and dialogue, reflecting shifts toward more collaborative mediation strategies. Parenting practices were further shaped by cultural, moral, and religious values, alongside structural factors such as socioeconomic status and access to digital resources. A central dilemma involved balancing adolescents’ privacy with the need for online safety, compounded by parents’ varying levels of digital confidence and uncertainty. The findings highlight that digital parenting is relational, contextually situated, and continuously negotiated. The study underscores the importance of culturally responsive, autonomy-supportive approaches that promote digital competence, trust, and responsible engagement, offering insights for parenting support, policy development, and digital well-being interventions in diverse contexts.