Exploring parental perceptions of adolescent mobile device use

Abstract

Mobile devices and the internet provide access to a vast amount of information, educational content, entertainment and their attendant risks. The easy accessibility and variety of devices available for adolescents to use increases the concern for the possible negative effects and harm for adolescents to exposure by inappropriate and harmful media. Parents face new challenges brought about by the ever-changing technology available. Adolescents are competent and confident with using modern technology, such as smartphones and tablets. Often, children will have more knowledge and understanding of modern devices than their parents. Additionally, modern mobile devices are portable, making it difficult for the monitoring of their use. For these reasons, it is imperative to explore parents’ perceptions relating to their adolescents use of mobile devices and how they are coping with the challenges associated with this use. Protective methods that can be used by parents to limit their adolescent’s mobile device use is important. Parents need to be educated about the options that are available to them in this regard. The overarching aim of the study was to collect information about parents’ perceptions of the effects that mobile device use has on their adolescents, and to show how they regulate and monitor this use in order to promote healthy habits. This study sought greater understanding of South African parental perspectives of mobile device use by adolescents and concomitantly, how parents monitor this use. An exploratory study using qualitative methods was adopted for the accumulation and the analysis of the data where a social constructionist approach was adopted. Non-probability, purposive sampling was used. Ten participants took part in this study. From the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) Bio-Ecological Systems theory, with the aid of Johnson and Puplampu’s (2008) Techno-Subsystem, the lived experiences and perceptions of the participants were explored. This study focused on the nests in which families live and the various factors that influence parents’ views on the decision to allow their adolescent’s to use mobile devices. It focused too on the experiences relating to this decision, how participants manage and view potential risks, and the problems encountered and expressed by participants. This included feelings of having inadequate knowledge of how to protect adolescents from online dangers. Data was obtained by using a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis of this data was conducted as this facilitated insight into how the participants construct meaning from their social world and family life. Three main themes were identified, namely: (1) Parents’ experiences and perceptions regarding adolescent mobile device use; (2) Parents feeling a lack of complete safety with their adolescent using mobile devices, and (3) Safety strategies employed by parents to protect their adolescents from potential harm caused by mobile device use. While participants could see the value and importance of mobile devices, particularly the value of added security and the educational advantages these devices offer, participants were torn due to the many risks posed by this use. As a result of the many dangers associated with adolescent mobile device use, such as easily accessible inappropriate content, negative behavioural changes in adolescents and pressure by other individuals online, participants chose to employ safeguards in an attempt to protect their adolescents. These reported safeguards include checking mobile devices frequently, setting rules and limits, and encouraging an open relationships and communication about safety and risks. Participants reported having feelings of insecurity regarding the protection of their adolescents and believe that schools need to play a role in educating parents about safety measures, online risks and creating more awareness around this important concern. The findings from this research suggest that the issue of adolescent mobile device use is a complex matter that requires further study. The findings indicated that many parents have insufficient knowledge to adequately protect their adolescents from the potential harms created by the use of mobile devices and that there is a need for parents to improve their digital literacy skills. Participants indicated the need for schools and thus the Department of Basic Education, to become involved in helping to educate them and assist with protecting adolescents. An awareness and educational programme would greatly benefit parents and aid in protecting adolescents from the dangers associated with internet use.

Mobiele toestelle en die internet bied toegang tot 'n groot hoeveelheid inligting, opvoedkundige inhoud, vermaak en die gepaardgaande risiko's. Die maklike toeganklikheid en verskeidenheid toestelle wat beskikbaar is vir adolessente om te gebruik, verhoog die kommer oor die moontlike negatiewe uitwerking en skade vir adolessente aan blootstelling deur onvanpaste en skadelike media. Ouers staar nuwe uitdagings in die gesig wat deur die steeds veranderende tegnologie beskikbaar gestel word. Adolessente is bekwaam en selfversekerd met die gebruik van moderne tegnologie, soos slimfone en tablette. Dikwels sal kinders meer kennis en begrip van moderne toestelle hê as hul ouers. Boonop is moderne mobiele toestelle draagbaar, wat dit moeilik maak vir die monitering van hul gebruik. Om hierdie redes is dit noodsaaklik om ouers se persepsies met betrekking tot hul adolessente se gebruik van mobiele toestelle te ondersoek en hoe hulle die uitdagings wat met hierdie gebruik geassosieer word, die hoof te bied. Beskermende metodes wat deur ouers gebruik kan word om hul adolessent se mobiele toestelgebruik te beperk, is belangrik. Ouers moet opgevoed word oor die opsies wat in hierdie verband vir hulle beskikbaar is. Die oorkoepelende doel van die studie was om inligting in te samel oor ouers se persepsies van die uitwerking wat die gebruik van mobiele toestelle op hul adolessente het, en om te wys hoe hulle hierdie gebruik reguleer en moniteer ten einde gesonde gewoontes te bevorder. Hierdie studie het gesoek na groter begrip van Suid-Afrikaanse ouerperspektiewe van mobiele toestelgebruik deur adolessente en gepaardgaande hoe Hiermee ouers hierdie gebruik monitor. 'n Verkennende studie met behulp van kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik vir die akkumulasie en die ontleding van die data waar 'n sosiaal-konstruksionistiese benadering gevolg is. Nie-waarskynlikheid, doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik. Tien deelnemers het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Uit die lens van Bronfenbrenner (1994) se Bio-Ecological Systems teorie, met behulp van Johnson en Puplampu (2008) se Techno-Subsisteem, is die alledaagse ervarings en persepsies van die deelnemers ondersoek. Hierdie studie het gefokus op die omgewing waarin gesinne woon en die verskeie faktore wat ouers se sienings beïnvloed oor die besluit om hul adolessente toe te laat om mobiele toestelle te gebruik. Dit het ook gefokus op die ervarings wat met hierdie besluit verband hou, hoe deelnemers potensiële risiko's bestuur en beskou, en die probleme wat deelnemers ondervind en uitgedruk het. Dit het gevoelens ingesluit dat hulle onvoldoende kennis het van hoe om adolessente teen aanlyn gevare te beskerm. Data is verkry deur gebruik te maak van 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud. Tematiese ontleding van hierdie data is uitgevoer aangesien dit insig vergemaklik het in hoe die deelnemers betekenis konstrueer uit hul sosiale wêreld en gesinslewe. Drie hooftemas is geïdentifiseer, naamlik: (1) Ouers se ervarings en persepsies rakende adolessente mobiele toestelgebruik; (2) Ouers voel 'n gebrek aan volledige veiligheid met hul adolessent wat mobiele toestelle gebruik, en (3) Veiligheidstrategieë wat deur ouers aangewend word om hul adolessente te beskerm teen potensiële skade wat deur mobiele toestelgebruik veroorsaak word. Terwyl deelnemers die waarde en belangrikheid van mobiele toestelle kon sien, veral die waarde van bykomende sekuriteit en die opvoedkundige voordele wat hierdie toestelle bied, was deelnemers verskeur weens die baie risiko's wat hierdie gebruik inhou. As gevolg van die vele gevare verbonde aan adolessente mobiele toestelgebruik, soos maklik toeganklike onvanpaste inhoud, negatiewe gedragsveranderinge by adolessente en druk deur ander individue aanlyn, het deelnemers gekies om voorsorgmaatreëls te gebruik in 'n poging om hul adolessente te beskerm. Hierdie gerapporteerde voorsorgmaatreëls sluit in die gereelde nagaan van mobiele toestelle, die stel van reëls en limiete, en die aanmoediging van oop verhoudings en kommunikasie oor veiligheid en risiko's. Deelnemers het gerapporteer dat hulle gevoelens van onsekerheid het oor die beskerming van hul adolessente en glo dat skole 'n rol moet speel in die opvoeding van ouers oor veiligheidsmaatreëls, aanlynrisiko's en die skep van meer bewustheid rondom hierdie belangrike saak. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsing dui daarop dat die kwessie van adolessente mobiele toestelgebruik 'n komplekse saak is wat verdere studie verg. Die bevindinge het aangedui dat baie ouers onvoldoende kennis het om hul adolessente voldoende te beskerm teen die potensiële skade wat deur die gebruik van mobiele toestelle veroorsaak word en dat daar 'n behoefte is vir ouers om hul digitale geletterdheidsvaardighede te verbeter. Deelnemers het aangedui dat skole en dus die Departement van Basiese Onderwys betrokke moet raak om hulle op te voed en te help met die beskerming van adolessente. ’n Bewusmakings- en opvoedkundige program sal ouers grootliks baat en help om adolessente te beskerm teen die gevare verbonde aan internetgebruik.

Imishini ephathwayo kanye ne-inthanethi kunikeza ukufinyelela olwazini oluningi, okuqukethwe kwezemfundo, ukuzijabulisa kanye nezingozi ezikhona. Ukufinyeleleka kalula kanye nezinhlobonhlobo zamadivayisi atholakalayo ukuze intsha iwasebenzise kwandisa ukukhathazeka ngemiphumela engemihle engaba khona kanye nokulimala kwentsha ekuchayekeni ngemidiya engalungile neyingozi. Abazali babhekana nezinselelo ezintsha ezilethwa ubuchwepheshe obushintsha njalo obutholakalayo. Intsha inekhono futhi iyazethemba ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe besimanje, njengama-smartphone namakhompyutha amancane. Ngokuvamile, izingane ziyoba nolwazi nokuqonda okwengeziwe ngemishini yesimanje kunabazali bazo. Ukwengeza, amadivaysi eselula esimanje aphatheka kalula, okwenza kube nzima ukuqapha ukusetshenziswa kwawo. Ngenxa yalezi zizathu, kubalulekile ukuhlola imibono yabazali ehlobene nokusebenzisa kwentsha yabo imishini ephathwayo nokuthi ibhekana kanjani nezinselele ezihlobene nalokhu kusetshenziswa. Izindlela zokuzivikela ezingasetshenziswa abazali nkuncibhisa ukusetshenziswa komakhalekhukhwini kwengane yabo zibalulekile. Abazali badinga ukufundiswa mayelana nezindlela ezitholakalayo kubo mayelana nalokhu. Inhloso enkulu yocwaningo bekuwukuqoqa ulwazi olumayelana nemibono yabazali ngemiphumela ukusetshenziswa kwedivayisi yeselula okuba nayo entsheni yabo, kanye nokukhombisa ukuthi balawula kanjani futhi baqaphe lokhu kusetshenziswa ukuze kuthuthukiswe imikhuba enempilo. Lolu cwaningo lufune ukuqonda okwengeziwe kwemibono yabazali baseNingizimu Afrika yokusetshenziswa kwedivayisi ephathwayo yintsha futhi ngasikhathi sinye, indlela abazali abakuqapha ngayo lokhu kusetshenziswa. Ucwaningo lokuhlola olusebenzisa izindlela zekhwalithi lwamukelwa ukuze kuqoqwe kanye nokuhlaziywa kwedatha lapho kwamukelwa indlela ye-social constructionist. Kwasetshenziswa amasampula okungewona amathuba, okuhlosiwe. Ababambe iqhaza babeyishumi kulolu cwaningo. Kusukela ku-lens ye-Bronfenbrenner's (1994) ye-Bio-Ecological Systems theory, ngosizo lwe-Johnson and Puplampu's (2008) Techno-Subsystem, okuhlangenwe nakho okuphilayo kanye nemibono yabahlanganyeli kwahlolisiswa. Lolu cwaningo lugxile ezidlekeni lapho imindeni ehlala kuzo kanye nezici ezihlukahlukene ezithonya imibono yabazali esinqumweni sokuvumela izingane zabo ezisakhula ukuba zisebenzise amadivaysi eselula. Iphinde yagxila kokuhlangenwe nakho okuhlobene nalesi sinqumo, indlela ababambiqhaza abaphatha futhi babuke ngayo ubungozi obungaba khona, kanye nezinkinga okuhlangatshezwane nazo futhi zivezwe ababambiqhaza. Lokhu kwakuhlanganisa imizwa yokungabi nolwazi olwanele lwendlela yokuvikela intsha ezingozini ze-inthanethi. Idatha itholwe kusetshenziswa inhlolokhono ene-semi-structured. Ukuhlaziywa kwetimu kwale datha kwenziwa njengoba lokhu kwenza kube lula ukuqonda ukuthi ababambiqhaza bayakha kanjani incazelo emhlabeni wabo wezinhlalo nempilo yomndeni. Izindikimba ezintathu eziyinhloko zikhonjwe, okuyilezi: (1) Okuhlangenwe nakho kwabazali kanye nemibono mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwemishini yeselula yentsha; (2) Abazali abazizwa bentula ukuphepha okuphelele lapho besebenzisa amadivaysi eselula, kanye (3) Namasu okuphepha asetshenziswa abazali ukuze bavikele izingane zabo ezisanda kweva eshumini nambili leminyaka ekulimaleni okungaba khona okubangelwa ukusetshenziswa kwamaselula. Nakuba ababambiqhaza ubumqoka ukubaluleka nokubaluleka kwamadivayisi eselula, ikakhulukazi inani lokuvikeleka okungeziwe kanye nezinzuzo zezemfundo ezinikezwa yila madivayisi, ababambiqhaza badabukile ngenxa yezingozi eziningi ezilethwa yilokhu kusetshenziswa. Ngenxa yezingozi eziningi ezihlobene nokusetshenziswa kwedivayisi yeselula kwentsha, njengokuqukethwe okungafanelekile okufinyeleleka kalula kukho, izinguquko ezingezinhle zokuziphatha entsheni kanye nokucindezela kwabanye abantu ku-inthanethi, ababambiqhaza bakhethe ukusebenzisa izivikelo emzamweni wokuvikela intsha yabo. Lezi zivikelo ezibikiwe zihlanganisa ukuhlola amadivayisi eselula njalo, ukubeka imithetho nemikhawulo, nokukhuthaza ubudlelwano obuvulekile nokuxhumana mayelana nokuphepha nezingozi. Ababambiqhaza babike ukuthi banemizwa yokungazethembi mayelana nokuvikelwa kwentsha yabo futhi bakholelwa ukuthi izikole zidinga ukudlala indima ekufundiseni abazali mayelana nezinyathelo zokuphepha, izingozi eziku-inthanethi nokudala ukuqwashisa okwengeziwe ngalokhu kukhathazeka okubalulekile. Okutholwe kulolu cwaningokusekela ukuthi udaba lokusetshenziswa kwemishini ephathwayo yentsha iyindaba eyinkimbinkimbi edinga ucwaningo olwengeziwe. Okutholakele kubonise ukuthi abazali abaningi abanalo ulwazi olwanele lokuvikela ngokwanele izingane zabo ekulimaleni okungaba khona okudalwa ukusetshenziswa kwemishini ephathwayo nokuthi kunesidingo sokuthi abazali bathuthukise amakhono abo okufunda ngedijithali. Abahlanganyeli baveze isidingo sokuthi izikole kanjalo noMnyango wezeMfundo eyisiSekelo, uzibandakanye ekusizeni ukuzifundisa nokusiza ngokuvikela intsha. Uhlelo lokuqwashisa nokufundisa lungabazuzisa kakhulu abazali futhi lusize ekuvikeleni intsha ezingozini ezihlobene nokusetshenziswa kwe-inthanethi.