Parental Perspectives on Youth Media Usage and Media Parenting: Does Child Sex Matter?

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Objective: Today’s youth have unprecedented access to personalized media devices, making streamed media more available and portable than ever before (Cox et al., 2018). Research suggests that sex differences exist among youth in usage of media and onset of health risk behaviors (e.g., Ohara et al., 2013). Additionally, prior research suggests that parenting styles differ for male and females (e.g., Vyas and Bano 2016). For example, differences by sex exist in how media impacts youth behavior, types of media youth consume, and experiences of parental media restrictions. The present study seeks to identify differences in parental perspectives on sources of influence and exposure to media-related risks on the basis of youth sex.

Methods: This study utilized secondary data analysis of parental interview data collected through a dyadic interview and behavioral observation process examining media parenting practices. Participants were recruited from community advertisements and the Ambulatory Pediatric Clinic at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. To participate, parents had one child between 8-10 years old. Parents were interviewed with focused questions on topics surrounding media risks and restrictions. Transcripts were content coded using a peer evaluative process in NVivo for five broad theme categories: parental monitoring, parental restriction, parental active mediation, barriers to media parenting, and sex-specific. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify emerging and consistent themes across interviews for the sex-specific themes proposed by study hypotheses.

Results/Conclusions: Participants in this study consisted of 41 parent-child dyads with nine parents being fathers. The mean age of youth was 9.72 years (SD = 0.81 years), and 22 youth were female. Themes of attitude, body image, peer pressure, and treatment of others were explored further and compared across parents of males versus parents of females. While on average female youth reported having approximately two more devices available in their homes, a mean score comparison revealed no statistically significant difference in males versus females in the number of home devices (t(39) = 1.9; p = .06). Differences were observed in themes of attitude, body image, treatment of others, and violence, but not for the theme of peer pressure. More parents of males reported that they were concerned about their child’s attitude being influenced by media sources, especially in terms of altered behavior. The body image theme, which encompasses factors such as eating habits, weight status, dress, and bullying, was more commonly endorsed by parents of females. While parents of both sexes expressed concern over the theme of treatment of others, more parents of females identified it as an issue. Parents of both sexes expressed concern about media perpetuating and normalizing stereotypical behaviors and roles, especially in regard to women. A comparable number of parents of males and parents of females commented on violence in the media. Review of interview transcripts revealed that parents described perspectives on sex differences that may relate to additional factors in media parenting, other than the factors explored in this study. Exemplar quotes and data on themes will be provided with implications and directions for future research discussed.

Authors

• Morgan McWilliams
  Non-Presenting Author

• Morganne Warner, University of Florida
  Presenting Author

• Emily Baker, University of Florida
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erin Corcoran, University of Florida
  Non-Presenting Author

• Joy Gabrielli, University of Florida
  Non-Presenting Author