Managing children’s exposure to digital media violence at home: A mixed-methods study of parental mediation in Vietnam

In an era of digitally saturated environments, parents increasingly encounter challenges in regulating their children’s exposure to digital media violence. Using a mixed-method approach, this research presents two studies that examine the relationship between Vietnamese parents’ perceptions of children’s exposure to digital media violence and their mediation strategies. Qualitative interviews (N = 41) reveal that parents’ presumed influence prompts mediation strategies, including restriction, permission rule, explanation, and peer consultation. Notably, parents report using corporal punishment to enforce compliance. Representative survey data (N = 1,465) indicate that parents’ reports of children’s media exposure predict presumed influence, which in turn is associated with restriction, permission rules, and explanatory communication. Permission rule communication is positively associated with corporal punishment, while explanation shows a negative association. However, these relationships are significant only among rural parents, highlighting the intersection of parental mediation and traditional child-rearing norms.