Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Meta-Analysis of Factors Predicting Parental Mediation of Children’s Media Use Based on Studies Published Between 1992–2019

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Restrictive and active parental mediation are widely used to manage child’s media use. Restrictive mediation included limiting child’s media using time/amount, or forbidden media contents. Active mediation refers to discussing media content or use method with their children. While predictors of parental mediation have been broadly studied, conflicting results have been reported. This study aims to examine the predictors of restrictive and active mediation using a meta-analysis of 32 empirical studies and 33 independent sample sets, representing over 21,000 participants. Results show that parents’ negative attitude towards media (r = 0.161) was the main predictor of restrictive mediation, while parents’ involvement (r = 0.156) was the major predictor of active mediation. Video games (r = −0.243) were found to have a stronger effect on the relationship between children’s age and restrictive mediation than any other medium. Also, adolescents (r = 0.230) have a stronger effect on the relationship between parents’ involvement and active mediation. Results further showed that compared to Asia, US (r = 0.129) and Europe (r = 0.102) have stronger effects on the relationship between parents’ negative attitude towards media and active mediation (r = −0.030). Likewise, compared to demographic variables, parents’ involvement and attitude towards media are stronger predictors of parental mediation. Further research should focus on parental mediation on new media and in cross-cultural contexts.

Highlights

  • Children’s age, parents’ negative attitude about media, and parents’ involvement were found to be the main predictors of restrictive mediation.

  • Parents’ attitude about media and parents’ involvement were found to be the main predictors of active mediation.

  • Type of medium, sample age group, and country of study were variables that significantly moderate the relationships between the predictors and restrictive/active mediation.

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

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abelman, R. (2001). Parents’ use of content-based TV advisories. Parenting: Science and Practice, 1(3), 237–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biltereyst, D. (2004). Media audiences and the game of controversy. On reality TV, moral panic and controversial media stories. Journal of Media Practice, 5(1), 7–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, N. D. (2015). The rise (and refinement) of moral panic. In R. Kowert & T. Quandt (Eds.) The video game debate: Unravelling the physical, social, and psychological effects of digital games (pp. 22–38). Routledge.

  • Bybee, C. R., Robinson, D., & Turow, J. (1982). Determinants of parental guidance of children’s television viewing for a special subgroup: Mass media scholars. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 26(3), 697–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, L., & Shi, J. (2019). Reducing harm from media: A meta-analysis of parental mediation. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 96(1), 173–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, L., Ho, S. S., & Lwin, M. O. (2017). A meta-analysis of factors predicting cyberbullying perpetration and victimization: From the social cognitive and media effects approach. New Media & Society, 19(8), 1194–1213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CINIC. (2021). The 2020 national survey report on minor Internet users. http://www.cnnic.net.cn/hlwfzyj/hlwxzbg/qsnbg/202107/P020210720571098696248.pdf.

  • Clay, M. M. (2019). Identifying predictors to parental mediation of mobile devices during the teen years using the theory of planned behavior. Indiana University.

  • Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 112(1), 155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Collier, K. M., Coyne, S. M., Rasmussen, E. E., Hawkins, A. J., Padilla-Walker, L. M., Erickson, S. E. & Memmott-Elison, M. K. (2016). Does parental mediation of media influence child outcomes? A meta-analysis on media time, aggression, substance use, and sexual behavior. Developmental Psychology, 52(5), 798–812.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dedkova, L. & Smahel, D. (2020). Online parental mediation: Associations of family members’ characteristics to individual engagement in active mediation and monitoring. Journal of Family Issues, 41(8), 1112–1136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dias, P., Brito, R., Ribbens, W., Daniela, L., Rubene, Z., Dreier, M., Gemo, M., Di Gioia, R., & Chaudron, S. (2016). The role of parents in the engagement of young children with digital technologies: Exploring tensions between rights of access and protection, from ‘Gatekeepers’ to ‘Scaffolders’. Global Studies of Childhood, 6(4), 414–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickersin, K., Chan, S. S., Chalmersx, T. C., Sacks, H. S., & Smith, Jr, H. (1987). Publication bias and clinical trials. Controlled Clinical Trials, 8(4), 343–353.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, T. L. (1998). An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games: Implications for gender socialization and aggressive behavior. Sex Roles, 38(5–6), 425–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Domoff, S. E., Radesky, J. S., Harrison, K., Riley, H., Lumeng, J. C., & Miller, A. L. (2019). A naturalistic study of child and family screen media and mobile device use. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(2), 401–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Drummond, A., Sauer, J. D., & Ferguson, C. J. (2020). Do longitudinal studies support long-term relationships between aggressive game play and youth aggressive behaviour? A meta-analytic examination. Royal Society Open Science, 7, 200373.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Duval, S., & Tweedie, R. (2015). Trim and fill: A simple funnel-plot-based method of testing and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analysis. Biometrics, 56(2), 455–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, C. J. (2007). Evidence for publication bias in video game violence effects literature: A meta-analytic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12(4), 470–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, C. J. (2008). The school shooting/violent video game link: Casual relationship or moral panic? Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 5(1–2), 25–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, C. J., Nielsen, R. K. L., & Markey, P. M. (2017). Does sexy media promote teen sex? A meta-analytic and methodological review. Psychiatric Quarterly, 88(2), 349–358.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haase, M., Bellomo, R., Devarajan, P., Schlattmann, P., Haase-Fielitz, A., & Makris, K. (2009). Accuracy of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in diagnosis and prognosis in acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 54, 1012–1024.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, H., Shin, W., & Lwin, M. O. (2017). Social Networking site use and materialistic values among youth: The safeguarding role of the parent-child relationship and self-regulation. Communication Research, 46(8), 1119–1144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650216683775.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, S., Lwin, M. O., Chen, L., & Chen, M. (2020). Development and validation of a parental social media mediation scale across child and parent samples. Internet Research, 30(2), 677–694. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-02-2018-0061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holloway, D., Green, L., & Love, C. (2014). ‘It’s all about the apps’: Parental mediation of pre-schoolers’ digital lives. Media International Australia, 153(1), 148–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huedo-Medina, T. B., Sánchez-Meca, J., Marín-Martínez, F., & Botella, J. (2006). Assessing heterogeneity in meta-analysis: Q statistic or I² index? Psychological Methods, 11(2), 193.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, Y., & Jeong, S.-H. (2015). Predictors of parental mediation regarding children’s smartphone use. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(12), 737–743.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, Y., Choi, I., Yum, J. Y., & Jeong, S. H. (2017). Parental mediation regarding children’s smartphone use: Role of protection motivation and parenting style. Cyberpsychology Behavior & Social Networking, 20(6), 362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izrael, P. (2013). Religiousness, values, and parental mediation of children’s television viewing in Slovakia. Journal of Children and Media, 7(4), 507–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, L. A., & Wang, J. L. (2013). Cultural differences in social networking site use: A comparative study of China and the United States. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 910–921.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirwil, L. (2009). Parental mediation of children’s Internet use in different European countries. Journal of Children and Media, 3(4), 394–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krcmar, M. & Cingel, D. P. (2016). Examining two theoretical models predicting American and Dutch parents’ mediation of adolescent social media use. Journal of Family Communication, 16(3), 247–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S. J. (2013). Parental restrictive mediation of children’s internet use: Effective for what and for whom? New Media & Society, 15(4), 466–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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 

  • Lwin, M. O., Panchapakesan, C., Teresa, J., Cayabyab, Y. M., & Shin, W. (2021). Are parents doing it right? Parent and child perspectives on parental mediation in Singapore. Journal of Family Communication, 21(4), 306–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markey, P. M., & Ferguson, C. J. (2017a). Internet gaming addiction: Disorder or moral panic? American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(3), 195–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markey, P. M., & Ferguson, C. J. (2017b). Teaching us to fear: The violent video game moral panic and the politics of game research. American Journal of Play, 10(1), 99–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martins, N., Matthews, N. L., & Ratan, R. A. (2017). Playing by the rules: Parental mediation of video game play. Journal of Family Issues, 38(9), 1215–1238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nathanson, A. I. (2001). Parent and child perspectives on the presence and meaning of parental television mediation. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 45(2), 201–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikken, P., & Jansz, J. (2006). Parental mediation of children’s videogame playing: A comparison of the reports by parents and children. Learning, Media and Technology, 31(2), 181–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikken, P., & Jansz, J. (2014). Developing scales to measure parental mediation of young children’s internet use. Learning, Media and Technology, 39(2), 250–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikken, P., Jansz, J., & Schouwstra, S. (2007). Parents’ interest in videogame ratings and content descriptors in relation to game mediation. European Journal of Communication, 22(3), 315–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikken, P., & Schols, M. (2015). How and why parents guide the media use of young children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24, 3423–3435.

  • Ofcom. (2021). Children and parents: Media use and attitudes report. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/217825/children-and-parents-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2020-21.pdf.

  • Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. (2019). Screens, teens, and psychological well-being: Evidence from three time-use-diary studies. Psychological Science, 30(5), 682–696.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Orlitzky, M., Schmidt, F. L., & Rynes, S. L. (2003). Corporate social and financial performance: A meta-analysis. Organization Studies, 24(3), 403–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persike, M., & Seiffge-Krenke, I. (2012). Competence in coping with stress in adolescents from three regions of the world. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(7), 863–879.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott, A., Sargent, J., & Hull, J. (2018). Metaanalysis of the relationship between violent video game play and physical aggression over time. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 201611617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, E. C., White, S. R., King, A. J., Holiday, S. & Densley, R. L. (2016). Predicting parental mediation behaviors: The direct and indirect influence of parents’ critical thinking about media and attitudes about parent-child interactions. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 8(2), 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothstein, H. R., Sutton, A. J., & Borenstein, M. (2006). Publication bias in meta-analysis: Prevention, assessment and adjustments. John Wiley & Sons.

  • Sandstig, G., Johansson, B., & Ringsberg, K. (2013). The behavioral consequences of parents presumed media influence on restrictive mediation and co-viewing/using media. Journalism and Mass Communication, 3(7), 452–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaan, V. K., & Melzer, A. (2015). Parental mediation of children’s television and video game use in Germany: Active and embedded in family processes. Journal of Children and Media, 9(1), 58–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, W., & Li, B. (2017). Parental mediation of children’s digital technology use in Singapore. Journal of Children and Media, 11(1), 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, W. (2018). Empowered parents: the role of self-efficacy in parental mediation of children’s smartphone use in the United States. Journal of Children and Media, 12(4), 465–477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, W., & Kim, H. K. (2019). What motivates parents to mediate children’s use of smartphones? An application of the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 63(1), 144–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. L., & Glass, G. V. (1977). Meta-analysis of psychotherapy outcome studies. American Psychologist, 32(9), 752.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sonck, N., Nikken, P., & de Haan, J. (2013). Determinants of Internet mediation: A comparison of the reports by Dutch parents and children. Journal of Children and Media, 7(1), 96–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Symons, K., Ponnet, K., Emmery, K., Walrave, M. & Heirman, W. (2017). A factorial validation of parental mediation strategies with regard to internet use. Psychologica Belgica, 57(2), 93.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Valkenburg, P. M., Krcmar, M., Peeters, A. L., & Marseille, N. M. (1999). Developing a scale to assess three styles of television mediation:“Instructive mediation,”“restrictive mediation,” and “social coviewing”. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 43(1), 52–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Voort, T. H. A., Nikken, P., & Van Lil, J. E. (1992). Replication: Determinants of parental guidance of children’s television viewing: A Dutch replication study. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 36(1), 61–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Voort, T. H. A., Van Lil, J. E., & Peters, A. L. (1998). Determinants of parental television guidance as reported by parents versus children. Zeitschrift für Medienpsychologie, 10(3), 165–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R. (2001). In words and deeds: Parental involvement and mediation of children’s television viewing. The Journal of Family Communication, 1(4), 211–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R. (2003). Parental mediation of preschool children’s television viewing. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 47(3), 394–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R. (2017). Multi-platform mediation: US mothers’ and fathers’ mediation of teens’ media use. Journal of Children and Media, 11(4), 485–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R., & Aloia, L. (2019). Parenting style, parental stress, and mediation of children’s media use. Western Journal of Communication, 83(4), 483–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R., Gerke, P., & Kelly, M. A. (2002). Is there enough time on the clock? Parental involvement and mediation of children’s television viewing. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 46(1), 87–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, R. & Bluma, A. (2002). Parental mediation of children’s Internet use: The influence of established media. Communication Research Reports, 19(1), 8–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wyness, M. (2019). Childhood and society. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Economics and Management, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, China

    Min Wang, Guisheng Hou & Zhilong You

  2. Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Min Wang, May Oo Lwin & Ysa Marie Therese M. Cayabyab

  3. College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China

    Min Wang

Authors
  1. Min Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. May Oo Lwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ysa Marie Therese M. Cayabyab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guisheng Hou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhilong You
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Min Wang, Ysa Marie Therese M. Cayabyab or Guisheng Hou.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

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

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, M., Lwin, M.O., Cayabyab, Y.M.T.M. et al. A Meta-Analysis of Factors Predicting Parental Mediation of Children’s Media Use Based on Studies Published Between 1992–2019. J Child Fam Stud 32, 1249–1260 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02459-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02459-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation