Maternal Rule-Setting for Children's Internet Use

Abstract

Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 109 third through sixth graders and their mothers regarding family rules for children's Internet use. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups that differed regarding the patterning of maternal Internet rules. Four clusters emerged: traditional (i.e., rules closely resembling common strategies for other media), passive (i.e., rules requiring little direct parental supervision), technology specific (i.e., strategies unique to the Internet), and few rules. Correlates of cluster membership were examined across the following domains: other rules, enforcement strategies, consequences, and child adjustment. Membership in the few rules cluster was modestly associated with poorer child adjustment.

KEYWORDS:

• child adjustment
• internet
• parental monitoring
• parenting

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to Laura Hill for her collaboration on this study, Chelsea Young for her coding assistance, and the participating families.

Notes

Means in the same row that do not share subscripts differ at p < .05.