MadrasAgric.J.,2024; https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.500009
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Received: 14 Aug 2024
Revised: 01 Sep 2024
Accepted: 12 Sep 2024
*Corresponding author's e-mail: pbalaji@tnau.ac.in
A Study on Parental Perception on Children’s Online Behavior
Manikandan J, Balaji Parasuraman, Santhosh Kumar M, Sudeepthi K and Mugilan K
Department of Agricultural and Rural Management, CARDS, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
ABSTRACT
The study titled “Parental Perception on Children’s Online Behavior”
examines how parents navigate the complexities of managing their
children’s online activities in the face of increasing digital engagement.
With widespread internet access through smartphones, social media, and
gaming platforms, children are exposed to numerous online risks, including
cyberbullying, online predators, and privacy breaches, which have heightened
parental concerns. Based on a survey of 129 parents with children aged
less than 18 years, the research highlights key parental concerns, such as
online gaming addiction, excessive screen time, and privacy risks. It also
reveals the negative impacts of prolonged internet use on children’s physical
health, academic performance, and social interactions, including decreased
physical activity, impaired sleep, and strained family relationships. Parents
who regularly monitor their children’s online activities—by checking devices,
discussing internet usage, and using parental control tools—are more aware
of the risks. However, the study finds that parents with higher digital literacy
sometimes underestimate online dangers, leading to less vigilant oversight.
Cultural and socio-economic factors also influence how parents approach
online safety. While some parents, particularly those with lower digital literacy,
rely on restrictive measures like screen time limits or monitoring software,
others adopt more communicative strategies, fostering open discussions
about online risks. Overly restrictive approaches can backfire, as children
may bypass controls and expose themselves to more risks. The study
concluded that a balanced approach, combining active monitoring, open
communication, and improved digital literacy, is essential for effective digital
parenting. It calls for increased education and awareness to help parents
better understand the digital landscape and navigate the challenges of
modern parenting. These insights are valuable for policymakers, educators,
and parents in developing strategies to protect children in an increasingly
digital world.
Keywords: Online Behavior, Perception, Parental Monitoring, Social Media.
INTRODUCTION
The rapid advancement of the internet and mobile
technologies has fundamentally changed how children
interact with the world, presenting both significant
opportunities and challenges (Haleem et al., 2022).
As children increasingly engage with digital platforms,
concerns among parents about the implications of
their children’s online behavior have grown more
pronounced (Sciacca et al., 2022). Understanding how
parents perceive and respond to their children’s online
activities is crucial, particularly in multicultural societies
such as Australia, where diverse cultural backgrounds,
varying levels of technological adaptation, and socio-
economic factors play pivotal roles in shaping these
perceptions (Shin and Lwin, 2022)
Research suggested that while many parents feel
confident in managing their children’s internet use,
this confidence can sometimes lead to less active
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engagement and communication regarding online
safety (Nguyen et al., 2022). The disparity between the
technological expertise of children and their parents
further complicates efforts to safeguard children
from potential online risks, as children often possess
a higher level of digital literacy than their parents
(El-Asam et al., 2021). In multicultural contexts,
parents from different ethnic backgrounds may
encounter additional challenges in monitoring and
guiding their children’s online behavior, often feeling
less equipped to address the associated risks
(Ramos, G., & Chavira, D. A. 2022).
The duality of internet use, encompassing
its benefits and risks, is a recurring theme in
parental perceptions. While parents acknowledge
the educational and social opportunities that the
internet offers, they also express concerns about
its negative impacts on their children’s health and
well-being, particularly in relation to physical and
psycho-behavioral aspects (Stoilova et al., 2021).The
COVID-19 pandemic has intensified these concerns,
with physical distancing and an increased reliance on
online platforms contributing to a decline in essential
social behaviors and independence among children
(Zhang et al., 2022)Moreover, the transition to online
education during this period has raised alarms about
the potential adverse effects on children’s physical and
mental health, highlighting the need for a balanced
approach to technology use (Theberath et al., 2022).
In light of these complex and evolving issues, the
present study aims to explore parental perceptions
of children’s online behavior, with a particular focus
on how parents from various ethnic communities
perceive
the
associated
risks
and
benefits
(Tynan et al., 2022). By examining the strategies
parents employ to manage their children’s digital
activities, this research seeks to provide insights into
the broader implications for parenting in a digitally
connected, multicultural society. The specific objectives
of the study are i) To evaluate the extent of parental
awareness regarding their children’s online activities
and the tools they use to monitor and manage these
activities, ii) To analyze parental concerns related to
various online risks and how these concerns influence
their monitoring practices and communication with
their children about online safety and iii)To assess the
impact of children’s online behavior on their overall
well-being and academic performance from the
perspective of their parents.
Rani, M., andKumari, S. (2022) examined digital
parenting practices in urban Indian families, focusing
on strategies used to ensure children’s online safety.
Their research highlighted the challenges faced by
parents in implementing these strategies and the
impact of socioeconomic factors on digital parenting
approaches. The study provided valuable insights into
the evolving nature of parental perceptions in urban
India. Gupta, R., and Deb, S. (2021) explored the
challenges faced by Indian parents in monitoring their
adolescents’ internet use. They proposed strategies
for effective parental supervision in the digital age,
considering the unique cultural and social context of
Indian families. The study highlighted the importance of
open communication and digital literacy in addressing
parental concerns about online safety. Kapoor, N.,
and Sharma, R. (2021) examined the relationship
between parental digital literacy and concerns about
children’s online activities in the Indian context. Their
research highlights how parents’ own understanding
of digital technologies influences their perceptions of
online risks and benefits for their children. The study
emphasized the need for digital literacy initiatives
targeting parents.
Livingstone, S., and Blum-Ross, A. (2020) explored
the complex landscape of digital parenting, examining
how parents balance hopes and fears about technology
in their children’s lives. They discuss the challenges
parents face in navigating the digital world, including
concerns about online risks and the potential benefits
of technology for children’s development and future
opportunities. The authors provided insights into how
parental perceptions shape family dynamics in the
digital age. Dutta, S., and Gangopadhyay, S. (2019)
examined the unique challenges and opportunities
faced by Indian parents in the digital age. They consider
cultural and socioeconomic factors that influence
parental perceptions and practices, highlighting
the need for context-specific digital parenting
approaches. The study provides valuable insights into
the complexities of raising children in India’s rapidly
evolving digital landscape.
Hegazy et al. (2019) Examine parents’ concerns
about the health effects of mobile and internet use.
Many parents perceive that the internet has more
negative than positive effects on their children’s well-
being, particularly when it comes to overuse of mobile
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devices and exposure to inappropriate content. This
concern drives many parents to adopt more restrictive
approaches, but these strategies may not always be
effective if they are not coupled with education and
dialogue about responsible internet use. Nagarajan,
S., and Vijayalakshmi, P. (2018) investigated parental
awareness and monitoring practices regarding
children’s internet use in India. Their study highlighted
the need for increased digital literacy among Indian
parents, revealing gaps in parental understanding of
online risks and safe internet practices. The research
emphasized the importance of culturally relevant
digital parenting strategies in the Indian context. Shin,
W., and Li, B. (2017) investigated parental mediation
strategies for children’s digital technology use in
Singapore. While not focused on India, their study
offered valuable insights into parental perceptions and
practices in an Asian context, providing a comparative
perspective that may be relevant to understanding
Indian parental attitudes.
Alqahtani et al. (2017) conducted a study in Saudi
Arabia, highlighting that cultural norms and societal
expectations also influence parental mediation
practices. While parents are keen to monitor their
children’s online activities, many lack the necessary
knowledge and tools to do so effectively. Radesky,
J. S et al., (2015) reviewed the potential benefits
and risks of young children’s use of mobile devices.
Their work provides insights into parental concerns
and emphasizes the need for balanced approaches
to technology use. The authors discuss how parental
perceptions of mobile media influence children’s
screen time and content consumption, highlighting the
importance of informed parental guidance.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study employed a descriptive methodology
to identify the parental perception of online behavior
of children. Purposive sampling was employed as a
technique. A total of 129 respondents were chosen for
the study among the locality of Tamil Nadu, which was
carried out from month of June 2023 to September
2024. Data was acquired through a well-structured
online survey. A 5-point Likert scale was used to record
the customer response to the parental perception
of children’s online behavior. (5= Strongly agree;
4= Agree; 3= Neutral; 2= Disagree; 1= Strongly
Disagree). Multi Nominal Logit regression and Garrette
Ranking were used to achieve the goal while taking
into account the following variables.
Table 1: Variables
S.No
Variables
1
Constant
2
Age
3
Residency
4
Education Qualification
5
Occupation
6
Annual Income
7
Reviewing child’s online activity
8
Confident in knowledge of the social media platforms
9
Discuss your child’s online activities with them
10
Aware of the privacy settings on the apps and websites
11
Child understands the risks associated with online behavior
12
Open to discussing their online experiences with you
13
Child’s online behavior affect their relationships with family
14
Child’s online behavior impact their academic performance
15
Child spends too much time online
16
Child’s online behavior affect their physical health
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RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Multinomial Logit Regression Results of parental
perception on children’s’ online behavior
The logistic regression analysis was performed to
measure the parental perception on childrens’ online
behavior with dichotomous dependent variables
as awareness of (Impact = 1, Not Impact = 0) as
exogenous variables as viz.,age, residence, education
qualification, occupation, annual income, reviewing
their children online activity, confident in knowledge of
social media platform, discussing with children online
activities with them, aware of the privacy settings
on the apps and websites, concerned are about
the children being exposed to online bullying, child
understands the risks associated with online behavior,
open to discussing their online experiences with you,
child’s online behavior affect their relationships with
family, child’s online behavior impact their academic
performance, child spends too much time online,
child’s online behavior affect their physical health
are categorical variables chosen as the independent
variables. The result was presented in the following
Table 1.
Log-likelihood = (−62.38106)
Likelihood ratio test: Chi-square (20) =
51.2612[0.0001]
From the logit regression model, it could be evident
that the annual income of the parents demonstrates
a 1 per centnegative significance with a coefficient
of -5.87477E-06 and p value of 0.0051 with parental
perception of children’s online behavior. Active
monitoring of a child’s online activity is a significant
predictor of higher parental awareness, as evidenced
by a coefficient of 0.854865 and a p-value of 0.0058,
which demonstrates a positive significance at a 1 per
cent level. This suggested that parents who regularly
review their child’s online behavior are more adjusted
to the associated impacts.
Higher confidence in knowledge of social media
platforms is negatively associated with an awareness
coefficient of -1.05935, demonstrates a negative
significance at a 5 per cent level, indicating that such
confidence may be linked to a lower perceived impact
of online behavior.
Table 1: Parental perception on children’s’ online behavior:
Sl.No
Variable
Coefficient
p-value
1
Constant
-0.848
0.773
2
Age
0.034
0.393
3
Residency
0.111
0.704
4
Education Qualification
-0.561*
0.070
5
Occupation
0.422
0.244
6
Annual Income
-5.874E-***
0.005
7
Reviewing child’s online activity
0.854***
0.005
8
Confident in knowledge of the social media platforms
-1.059**
0.030
9
Discuss your child’s online activities with them
-0.478
0.19
10
Aware of the privacy settings on the apps and websites
0.215
0.316
11
Child understands the risks associated with online behavior
-0.695*
0.060
12
Open to discussing their online experiences with you
0.753
0.117
13
Child’s online behavior affect their relationships with family
0.082
0.847
14
Child’s online behavior impact their academic performance
0.334
0.399
15
Child spends too much time online
0.655*
0.078
16
Child’s online behavior affect their physical health
0.398
0.279
(Note: *** is 1% level of significance, ** is 5% level of significance, *is 10% level of significance)
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Education qualification has a negative significance
at a 10 per cent level coefficient of -0.561789, which
might be weakly associated with a reduced perception
of online behavior and the Child understands the
risks associated with online behavior, it also has a
negative significance at a 10 per cent level coefficient
of -0.695055, which demonstrated a marginal
significance at the 10 per cent level. Perception that
a child spends too much time online has a coefficient
of 0.655802 and a p-value of 0.0789 has a marginally
significant positive effect with a 10 per cent level,
suggesting that concerns about excessive online time
may enhance awareness of online behavior impacts.
Age, residency and occupation also show no significant
impact on parental awareness. Discussing online
activities with the child, awareness of privacy settings,
and understanding online risks do not significantly
affect parental awareness. Overall, the analysis
underscores the importance of active engagement
in monitoring online activities and reviewing child’s
online activity as key factors influencing parental
awareness. Other factors, including age, education,
and residency, appear to have minimal influence on
parental perceptions of online behavior impacts.
Parental concerns on children’s online use
Garrette ranking analysis identifies several critical
risks associated with online use among children.
As shown in Table 2, addiction to online games is
emerging as the most pressing issue. This top-ranked
concern underscores the significant adverse effects
that excessive gaming can have on children’s overall
health and development. The pervasive nature of
gaming can lead to negative outcomes, including
diminished academic performance, reduced social
interaction, and decreased physical activity. Such
extensive engagement with online games can
disrupt normal developmental processes and impact
children’s social skills and physical well-being.
It could be inferred from the above table 2
that concern about excessive screen time, which
encompasses all forms of prolonged exposure to
digital devices. This risk includes not only gaming but
also extensive use of social media and other online
activities. Excessive screen time is associated with
a range of physical health issues, such as eye strain
and sleep disturbances, as well as a reduction in
physical activity. These factors collectively highlight
the potential long-term health impacts and underscore
the need for effective strategies to manage and limit
screen time.
Privacy concerns rank third, highlighting the critical
importance of protecting personal information in the
digital realm. Children often lack a full understanding
of the risks associated with sharing personal data
online, which can lead to privacy trespass and
increased susceptibility to exploitation or identity theft.
This finding emphasizes the need for comprehensive
education on online privacy and the implementation
of robust protective measures.
The fourth-ranked risk involves online predators,
reflecting concerns about the potential for harmful
interactions with individuals who may seek to exploit
or abuse children through online platforms. This
risk necessary heightened vigilance and proactive
measures by parents and guardians to safeguard
children from such threats.
Lastly, cyberbullying, although significant, is
ranked fifth. This indicates that while cyberbullying is a
serious issue with severe psychological repercussions,
including anxiety and depression, it is perceived as less
prevalent compared to other risks such as addiction
and excessive screen time. However, addressing
cyberbullying remains essential in mitigating its
harmful effects on children’s mental health and
ensuring a safer online experience.
Table 2. Parental concerns on children’s online activity
S.No
Constraints
Garrette score
Rank
1
Addiction to Games
55
I
2
Excessive screen time
52
II
3
Privacy issues
49
III
4
Online predators
48
IV
5
Cyberbullying
47
V
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CONCLUSION
The study concluded that while the digital world
offers significant benefits to children, such as learning
opportunities and social engagement, it also presents
numerous risks that require careful mediation by
parents. The findings emphasize the importance of
active parental engagement, open communication,
and the need for parents to enhance their digital
literacy to better safeguard their children. Also
highlights that a balanced approach, where children
are guided rather than restricted, proves to be more
effective in fostering responsible online behavior.
Ultimately, the study underscores the need for
comprehensive strategies that empower parents with
the knowledge and tools necessary to protect their
children from online risks while ensuring they can
benefit from the positive aspects of the digital age.
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