An examination of the relationship between parents' attitudes toward technology use and their control strategies in the internet use of secondary school students

This study examines the relationship between parents' control strategies applied during the internet use of secondary school students and their attitudes toward technology use. The study included 280 parents with children aged 10-14. Among the participants, 239 were female, and 41 were male. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Internet Usage Mediation Scale for Parents, and the Digital Parenting Attitude Scale. Independent samples t-test was applied for binary groups, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for groups with more than two categories. Correlation analysis was conducted to determine the general structure and direction of the relationships between variables. The findings revealed no statistically significant relationship between parents' digital parenting attitudes and their mediation strategies in internet usage. However, it was found that active and restrictive mediation strategies influenced children's digital media habits at varying levels. No statistically significant differences were observed in parents' attitudes and strategies based on gender, marital status, income level, or internet usage duration. It was determined that parental attitudes toward effective digital media use play an important role in supporting children's internet habits. While digital parenting attitudes do not directly shape children's media usage habits, guidance and control strategies were found to have a more pronounced effect on these habits. The findings suggest that training programs to enhance parents' digital guidance and control skills could be beneficial. Furthermore, it is recommended to replicate the study using different scales and age groups to expand the literature in this field. Such research could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of digital parenting attitudes and strategies on children's digital behaviors.