Poster #46 - Effects of Parenting Behavior on Online-formed Peer Relationships in Generation Alpha: Findings from ADDS Project

• In Event: Poster Session 04

Abstract

Introduction: Generation Alpha refers to the generation that was born after 2010 and is directly affected by digital devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs (McCrindle, 2021). This generation Alpha is experiencing a new type of peer relationship, which is formed online. Although factors and developmental processes that are significantly associated with children’s peer relationships are well established, it remains under explored how children’s online-formed peer relationships develop especially for the generation Alpha. Peer relationships are an integral part of children's social and emotional development, and online relationships have become increasingly significant in recent years. This study sought to examine the extent to which positive parenting behavior (i.e., emotional warmth) interacted with children’s social skills, the two factors known as robust predictors of children’s peer relationships, to shape online-formed peer relationships among Korean children of generation Alpha.
Method: We used the 1st wave of Longitudinal Data for the Generation Alpha Digital Daily Survey (ADDS) collected in 2022. The study included 176 children born in 2012 and their primary caregivers. Parents’ emotional warmth, the independent variable, was measured with 6 items from the maternal overprotection scale (Chung, 2020) (e.g., I express unconditional love to my child). Children's online-formed peer relationships, the dependent variable, were measured using 8 items from the inventory of parent and peer attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) (e.g., I like to get my friends' point of view on things I'm concerned about). Children rated the level of mutual trust and the quality of communication with online friends. Children's social skills were used as the moderator, and was assessed using the cooperativeness subscale from the Korean version of the social skill rating system (Moon, 2013) (e.g., I listen to adults when they are talking to me). The proposed moderation model was analyzed with the SPSS PROCESS macro (model 1).
Results: There was a significant direct effect of parents’ emotional warmth on children’s online-formed peer relationships. It was also found that children's social skills moderated the effects of parents’ emotional warmth on children’s online-formed peer relationships (B= .18, p< .05). Further analysis indicated that parents’ emotional warmth was significantly and positively associated with children’s online-formed peer relationships only when children’s social skills were high.
Conclusion: The finding that the positive effects of parenting behavior on children’s online-formed peer relationships varied depending on the child’s social and emotional development highlights the significance of children’s social skills for peer relationships formed online. Our finding also suggests that positive parenting behavior plays a significant role in shaping children’s peer relationships in the digital environment as well. Further implications of how children in generation Alpha develop in the digital environment are discussed.

Authors

• Si Young Song, Yonsei University

• Seo Jin Oh, Yonsei University

• Jiwon Lee, Yonsei University

• Yeseul Lee, Yonsei University
  Presenting Author

• Susanna Joo, Yonsei University

• Hyoun K. Kim, Yonsei University