Did you know… In general
Cyberbullying and consequently cybervictimization occurs in the cyberspace and it’s a worldwide problem among children and adolescents.
Preventing cyberbullying is a challenge for all of us, because it can occur anytime and anywhere.
The importance of the parents’ role is supported by numerous studies. The impact that parents have on child development is not new, but the effects of the interactions between parent-child, the parental monitoring and the strategies used by parents to mediate their children’s use of internet is still beginning…
Nowadays, parents and children search the internet seeking for information, social support, and to communicate and interact with peers and others.
Parents have concerns about their children’s online activities, namely the contents available and viewed, the contacts established with others and their conduct adopted when surfing on the internet. These parents concerns are also related to their own online experience.
Some recent studies revealed that the internet parenting styles have an impact on the internet usage by children.
Online Experience
Recent data showed that more than 80% of the parents have access and use the internet, on a daily basis.
More than 60% of the parents report that they talk with their children about several topics related to the use of the internet, such as cyberbullying, how to interact with others on the internet, (in)appropriate contents in internet, their children’s’ friends in social networks, and download of contents, files, videos, pictures. But there is a minority (almost 20%) who don´t talk about any topic related to the internet use.
Most parents report that they use, have knowledge and are confident regarding internet use and social networks. But when comparing both, they use and know less about social networks.
Internet Parenting Styles
The internet parenting styles are the overall pattern of parental interaction characteristics with the child, considering the dimensions of the parental control (e.g., supervision and set rules) and the parental warmth (e.g., responsiveness, support). As a result of this combination between both dimensions, the 4 parenting styles are:
AUTHORITATIVE (if high parental control and high parental warmth)
Authoritative parents set rules for the online activities of their children, and they monitor it, correcting negative behaviors and rewarding positive behaviors.
Communication between authoritative parents and their children is clear and open, based on mutual respect.
Authoritative parents interact with their children with warm and affection and are responsive to their children needs.
AUTHORITARIAN (if high parental control and low parental warmth)
Authoritarian parents are more rigid and establish strict rules for the internet use, regardless of any child participation. Usually, authoritarian parents do not value dialogue and autonomy.
INDULGENT/PERMISSIVE (if low parental control and high parental warmth)
Indulgent parents, as opposed to authoritarian, do not set rules or limits for the child use of internet.
Typically, indulgent parents are excessively tolerant, allowing the child to monitor their own online behavior and activities. Indulgent parents are affective, communicative and receptive to their children internet usage, tending to satisfy any demand that the child present.
NEGLIGENT/LAISSEZ-FAIRE (if low parental control and low parental warmth)
Negligent parents are neither responsive nor demanding, regarding their children’s use of the internet.
Frequently, negligent parents show little involvement with the child's internet usage and not monitor their online activities. While indulgent parents are involved with their children internet use, neglectful parents are often focused on their own online activities.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.