Taiwanese parents’ perspectives on young children’s use of information communication technology

Frontiers in Psychology

Psychology

Yi Fang Luo¹  Hsin Tien Lee²  Shu Ching Yang²  Kun Yi Chou² 

[1] Graduate School of Human Sexuality, Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan;Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan;

关键词: technology application;    mobile device;    young children;    children’s ICT use;    parents’ perceptions of children’s ICT usage;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1248863

 received in 2023-06-27, accepted in 2023-09-04,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionHow parents think and feel about their children’s use of technology can influence how their kids behave online. The family’s socioeconomic status (SES) may also affect this influence. In light of this, this research emphasizes the need for more investigation into parental attitudes and the role of SES in shaping how children consume media.MethodsThis study surveyed 629 Taiwanese parents to explore their attitudes toward their young children’s use of information communication technology (ICT), usage patterns, and the interplay with socioeconomic status.ResultsThe findings revealed a significant disconnect: although approximately 50% of parents considered above six years old to be a suitable age for children to start ICT, over 80% of children had already engaged with ICT before that age, indicating a large disparity between parental expectations and actual initiation. Furthermore, parents highlighted “learning interest” and “various content” as the most positive impacts of children’s ICT use, while “addiction and overreliance” emerged as their primary concern. Notably, parents, as a whole, tended to perceive their child’s ICT use more negative than positively, with fathers displaying greater acceptance of negative viewpoints than mothers. Parental attitudes toward children’s ICT use were categorized into five clusters, ranging from balanced and optimistic views to value emphasis, conservatism, and negative doubts. This classification underscores the intricate and multifaceted nature of parental perspectives, encompassing both positive and negative outlooks on children’s ICT utilization.DiscussionThe findings underscore the nuanced character of parents’ attitudes toward technology, shaped by the intricacies and challenges posed by the digital era. These insights emphasize that parental attitudes go beyond a simplistic positive-negative divide, reflecting a comprehensive response to the opportunities and complexities inherent in the digital age.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Luo, Yang, Chou and Lee.