Mutual rule-shaping with parents to form adolescents’ healthy smartphone use

Abstract

Smartphones have become an integral part of adolescents’ lives. However, technology savvy adolescents’ media culture has evolved rapidly, creating concerns regarding abusive smartphone usage. The purpose of this study was to find effective parental mediation in digital media context for adolescents’ healthy smartphone usage habits that can be applied at home, because media consumption is inevitable. Two sessions of FGI were conducted. In the first FGI (n=21; parent: 21), we explored parents’ experiences regarding their children’s smartphone usage. In the second FGI (n=24; parent: 13, child: 11), experiences of digital media usage rules applied at homes from both adolescents’ and parents’ perspectives were examined. This phenomenological qualitative research revealed parents’ concerns and difficulties they faced while applying media usage rules. Adolescents on the other hand sought for autonomy in terms of media use, yet realized the necessity of their responsibility.