Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Consistent and Appropriate Parental Restrictions Mitigating Against Children's Compulsive Internet Use: A One-Year Longitudinal Study

  • Original research
  • Published:
Technology, Knowledge and Learning Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine internet use of primary school-aged children in association with child-parent relationship, parenting practices in general and in regard to the child’s internet use, as potential protective or risk factors for the development of child compulsive internet use (CIU). Participating in this study were 261 children (aged 8–11 years old) and one of their parents at the first measurement time, with 236 of these child-parent dyads participating at the second measurement time one year later. At both measurement times the children completed the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (Meerkerk et al. in Cyberpsychol Behav 12:1–6, 2009) and answered questions about the child-parent relationship, as well as parental restrictions on internet use. Parents completed items regarding parenting practices in general, and specific internet-related parenting practices. Correlational analysis showed that child CIU is positively associated with Inconsistent parenting, Forbidding internet access, and Technical Control of internet use. CIU was negatively associated with positive child-parent relationship and internet-related rules set by the parents. Regression analyses further suggested that the optimization of online opportunities and minimization of risks can be facilitated by positive child-parent relationships and consistent parenting practices, both general and internet-related, with appropriately applied internet use limitations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, E. L., Steen, E., & Stavropoulos, V. (2016). Internet use and problematic internet use: A systematic review of longitudinal research trends in adolescence and emergent adulthood. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 22(4), 430–454. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2016.1227716.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balan, R., Dobrean, A., Roman, G., & Balazsi, R. (2016). Indirect effects of parenting practices on internalizing problems among adolescents: The role of expressive suppression. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0532-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Block, J. H. (1980). The child-rearing practices report (CRPR): A set of Q items for the description of parental socialization attitudes and values. Berkeley: Institute of Human Development, University of California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y. L., Chen, S. H., & Gau, S. F. S. (2015). ADHD and autistic traits, family function, parenting style, and social adjustment for internet addiction among children and adolescents in Taiwan: A longitudinal study. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 39, 20–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ciarrochi, J., Parker, P., Sahdra, B., Marshall, S., Jackson, C., Gloster, A. T., et al. (2016). The Development of compulsive internet use and mental health: A four-year study of adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 52(2), 272–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeBell, M., & Chapman, C. (2006). Computer and Internet use by students in 2003. National Center for Educational Statistics. Washington, DC: US Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006065.pdf

  • Ding, Q., Li, D., Zhou, Y., Dong, H., & Luo, J. (2017). Perceived parental monitoring and adolescent internet addiction: A moderated mediation model. Addictive behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.05.033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekbia, H., & Nardi, B. (2012). Inverse instrumentality: How technologies objectify patients and players. Materiality and organizing: Social interaction in a technological world, pp. 157–176.

  • Frick, P.J. (1991). The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Unpublished rating scale, University of Alabama.

  • Galpin, A., & Taylor, G. (2018). Changing behaviour: Children, adolescents and screen use. The British Psychological Society, www. bps. org. uk/news-and-policy/changing-behaviour-children-adolescents- and-screen-use

  • Halgunseth, L. C., Perkins, D. F., Lippold, M. A., & Nix, R. L. (2013). Delinquent-oriented attitudes mediate the relation between parental inconsistent discipline and early adolescent behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 27(2), 293–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hurwitza, L., B., & Schmitt, K., L. (2020). Can children benefit from early internet exposure? Short- and long-term links between internet use, digital skill, and academic performance. Computers and Education, 146 (2), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103750

  • Jackson, L. A., Von Eye, A., Biocca, F. A., Barbatsis, G., Zhao, Y., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2006). Does home internet use influence the academic performance of low income children? Developmental Psychology, 42, 429–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, G. M. (2013). Traditional literacy skills and internet use among 8- to 12-year-old children. Reading Psychology, 34, 486–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaess, M., Durkee, T., Brunner, R., Carli, V., Parzer, P., Wasserman, C., et al. (2014). Pathological Internet use among European adolescents: Psychopathology and self-destructive behaviours. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 23(11), 1093–1102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karaer, Y., & Akdemir, D. (2019). Parenting styles, perceived social support and emotion regulation in adolescents with internet addiction. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 92, 22–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2019.03.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko, C. H., Yen, J. Y., Yen, C. F., Lin, H. C., & Yang, M. J. (2007). Factors predictive for incidence and remission of internet addiction in young adolescents: A prospective study. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 10, 545–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko, C. H., Wang, P. W., Liu, T. L., Yen, C. F., Chen, C. S., & Yen, J. Y. (2015). Bidirectional associations between family factors and Internet addiction among adolescents in a prospective investigation. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 69, 192–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kultūras ministrija (2017). Pētījums par 9 līdz 16 gadus vecu bērnu un pusaudžu medijpratību Latvijā. LU Sociālo zinātņu fakultāte, Kultūras ministrija. https://www.km.gov.lv/uploads/ckeditor/files/mediju_politika/medijprat%C4%ABba/petijums/2018/Bernu%2520un%2520pusaudzu%2520medijpratibas%2520petijuma%2520rezultati.pdf

  • Lee, S. H., & Lim, T. Y. (2019). Connective action and affective language: Computational text analysis of facebook comments on social movements in South Korea. International Journal of Communication, 13, 2960–2983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, Y., & Nam, S. J. (2018). Exploring factors related to problematic internet use in childhood and adolescence. International Journal of Mental Health and Addictioc. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9990-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. H., Lin, S. L., & Wu, C. P. (2009). The effects of parental monitoring and leisure boredom on adolescents’ internet addiction. Adolescence, 44, 993–1004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., & Ólafsson, K. (2011). Risks and safety on the Internet: The perspective of European children. EU Kids Online, LSE: Full findings. London, England.

  • Livingstone, S., Ólafsson, K., Helsper, E. J., Lupiáñez-Villanueva, F., Veltri, G. A., & Folkvord, F. (2017). Maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks for children online: The role of digital skills in emerging strategies of parental mediation. Journal of Communication, 67(1), 82–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meerkerk, G. J., Van Den Eijnden, R. J. J. M., Vermulst, A. A., & Garretsen, H. F. L. (2009). The compulsive internet use scale (CIUS): Some psychometric properties. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 12, 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miltuze, A., & Sebre, S.B. (2020). Mediating role of dissociation symptoms between adolescent compulsive internet use across time. society. integration. education, In: Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, 7, pp. 136–144

  • Patterson, G. (2002). The early development of coercive family process. In J. Reid, G. Patterson, & J. Snyder (Eds.), Antisocial behavior in children and adolescents: a developmental analysis and the Oregon model for intervention (pp. 25–44). DC: APA; Washington.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimmenti, A., Passanisi, A., Gervasi, A. M., Manzella, S., & Famà, F. I. (2014). Insecure attachment attitudes in the onset of problematic internet use among late adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 45, 588–595.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sebre, S., Jusiene, R., Dapkevice, E., Skreitule-Pikse, I., & Bieliauskaite, R. (2015). Parenting dimensions in relation to preschoolers’ behavior problems in Latvia and Lithuania. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 39(5), 458–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sebre, S., Miltuze, A., & Limonovs, M. (2018). Maladaptive Cognitions, Hyperactivity and Inconsistent Parenting as Risk Factors of Adolescent Problematic Internet Use. Proceedings of the 76th International Scientific Conference "Human, Technologies and Quality of Education", pp. 95–110. https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2018.09

  • Shelton, K. K., Frick, P. J., & Wootton, J. (1996). Assessment of parenting practices in families of elementary school-age children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 25, 317–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strittmatter, E., Parzer, P., Brunner, R., Fischer, G., Durkee, T., Carli, V., et al. (2016). A 2-year longitudinal study of prospective predictors of pathological Internet use in adolescents. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 25, 725–734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNICEF. (2017). State of the World's Children 2017: Children in a Digital World. New York: UNICEF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Eijnden, R. J. J. M., Skijkerman, R., Verlmulst, A d A, van Rooij, A. J., & Rutger, C. M. E. E. (2010). Compulsive Internet use among adolescents: Bidirectional parent–child relationships. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38(1), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-009-9347-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wąsiński, A., & Tomczyk, L. (2015). Factors reducing the risk of internet addiction in young people in their home environment. Children and Youth Services Review, 57, 68–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.07.022.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiuqin, H., Huimin, Z., Mengchen, L., Jinan, W., Ying, Z., & Ran, T. (2010). Mental health, personality and parental rearing styles of adolescents with Internet addiction disorder. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 13(4), 4501–5406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 1, 237–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

    Anika Miltuze, Sandra B. Sebre & Baiba Martinsone

Authors
  1. Anika Miltuze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sandra B. Sebre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Baiba Martinsone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anika Miltuze.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Miltuze, A., Sebre, S.B. & Martinsone, B. Consistent and Appropriate Parental Restrictions Mitigating Against Children's Compulsive Internet Use: A One-Year Longitudinal Study. Tech Know Learn 26, 883–895 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09472-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09472-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation