Page 421 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

PARENTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE: EXPLORING MEDIATION STRATEGIES AND STYLES
AMONG PARENTS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN KERALA
1
Arya V.S ; Dr. Sreejith S 2
1 Research Scholar, School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Ernakulam, Kerala,
aryavs2020@cusat.ac.in
2 Associate Professor, School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Ernakulam, Kerala, sreejith@cusat.ac.in

the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
ABSTRACT reports that around 15% of active Internet users are between
To better understand the interaction between different the ages of 5 and 11. But as the digital landscape quickly
parenting types—enabler, limiter, and mentor—and their changed, parental concern about protecting their children
related mediation techniques—active, co-viewing, and from online dangers also grew. They voiced concerns about
restrictive—this study looks at digital parenting styles (DPS) things like exposure to illicit content, cyberbullying, and
and digital parental mediation strategies (DPM) in Kerala. false information (McAfee, 2022). Particularly in areas like
The research, which makes use of online and offline Kerala, where the incorporation of technology into daily life
questionnaires conducted in districts located in northern, is fast changing, this increasing dependence on digital
central, and southern Kerala, indicates that limiter parents technologies highlights the vital significance of digital
employ restrictive mediation, enablement parents employ a parenting. It is crucial to comprehend the intricate dynamics
combination of active and co-viewing tactics and mentor of digital technology usage and how it affects children's
parents mostly utilise active mediation. Parenting development as they navigate the digital world more and
philosophies and mediation techniques are significantly more. With an emphasis on the relevance of digital parenting
correlated, according to chi-square and correspondence practices in Kerala, this study intends to explore the complex
studies. However, because of the region-specific and survey relationships between digital parenting strategies and digital
mode-based sampling, the study is constrained by possible parenting styles and shed light on how these relations affect
sample bias. To further understand how digital parenting each other in the modern digital age.
develops, future studies should use longitudinal techniques The strategies that parents use to monitor, control, and
and a more representative sample. oversee their children's media use are collectively referred to
as parental mediation (Dedkova & Mýlek, 2022; Durak &
Keywords – Digital Transformation, Digital Parenting, Kaygin, 2019). The aim is to minimize potential risks and
Digital Parental Mediation Strategies, Digital Parenting promote learning possibilities (Dedkova & Mýlek, 2022;
Styles, Correspondence Analysis Livingstone & Helsper, 2008). Parental mediation, which
was first focused on television viewing, is now also
1. INTRODUCTION applicable to digital technologies, such as computers, video
games, tablets, and smartphones (Clark, 2011). Parental
The rapid advancement of technology has drastically mediation theory by Clark, 2011 suggests that parents
changed many aspects of human life, improving living implement various interpersonal communication strategies
conditions and simplifying everyday work (Nevado-Peña, to mediate and mitigate the negative impact of media on their
López-Ruiz, & Alfaro-Navarro, 2019; Demir & Özmizrak, children’s lives (Huang et al., 2023; Ling & Yee, 2021; Clark,
2014). Through the pervasive presence of Information and 2011). The theory suggested that parental media mediation
Communication Technologies (ICT), this transformation considering mutual participation and respecting children’s
influence has not only been integral to adult's daily routines autonomy would be very effective (Huang et al., 2023; Ling
but has also penetrated children's lives, impacting their & Yee, 2021; Clark, 2011). Traditional parental media
development (Bardakçı, 2018; Chou, 2012; Yeh, Chang, & mediation has defined various strategies to mediate with
Chang, 2011). According to the 2020 Eurostat study, 94% of children with restrictive mediation (parents limit and control
people between the ages of 16 and 19 routinely use the the time or content of their children’s smart device use),
Internet, demonstrating how common online activity is in active mediation (parents discuss smart device content used
this group. An interesting trend is also seen in India, where
with their children to protect them from negative effects),

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