Parental Mediation of Adolescents' Internet Use

Abstract Introduction: Parental mediation of adolescents’ internet use is a descriptive study to understand the level of parental control over internet usage of adolescents in the state of Kerala in India. It also aims to understand the relationship of various adolescent and parental demographic factors with parental mediation. Method: A descriptive correlation study was conducted among the parents of 388 students between the age of 13years and 18 years old, selected from different (government, aided and private) schools through stratified sampling method. Data were collected through a survey conducted using Parental Mediation Questionnaire prepared by the investigator. Result: The descriptive analysis revealed that active mediation was the predominant mediation strategy used by parents than co-viewing mediation and restrictive mediation. Analysis of the adolescent demographic factors revealed that a difference exists in parental mediation over internet usage of boys and girls. A difference was also found in the mediation of parents of adolescents studying in government, aided and private schools. The study also revealed that younger parents in Kerala mediated the internet usage of adolescents' more than older parents. Other demographic factors related to parents including their education, employment status or annual family income had no significant relation to their parental mediation. Conclusion: The study pinpoints the need to sensitize the parent community and provide them with ample support for parental mediation over internet usage of adolescents.