Nannat, Anjana, Tariang, Ngaitlang Mary, and Kuruvila, Albert (2025) Parenting in the Digital Age: Adolescent Perspectives on Internet Parenting Styles and Problematic Internet Use. Annals of Indian Psychiatry. (In Press)

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Abstract

Context: Problematic Internet use (PIU) has emerged as a significant health concern among Indian adolescents, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Parenting styles play a crucial role in either exacerbating or protecting against PIU.

Aim: This study explored adolescents’ perceptions of Internet parenting styles and their influence on the extent of PIU.

Materials and Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The initial quantitative survey included 386 adolescents from two preuniversity colleges in urban Bangalore, and the subsequent qualitative phase involved semistructured interviews among 27 adolescents. Quantitative data were collected using a semistructured sociodemographic questionnaire, Young’s Internet Addiction Test, and the Internet Parenting Styles Instrument, whereas qualitative data were collected using an interview guide.

Statistical Analysis Used: Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with IBM SPSS Statistics 29. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software.

Results: The quantitative findings revealed that 71.5% of participants reported mild-to-severe PIU, with most perceiving moderate parental control and warmth and a predominant laissez-faire Internet parenting style. While perceived control was significantly correlated with PIU, warmth showed no significant relationship. The qualitative insights highlighted that adolescents value self-regulation and autonomy in Internet use.

Conclusions: The prevalent Internet parenting styles among Indian parents do not sufficiently address PIU among adolescents. The study emphasizes the need for a balanced and well-informed parenting approach that promotes self-regulation skills over strict parental control.

Item ID:	86643
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2588-8358
Keywords:	Adolescents, autonomy, control, Internet parenting styles, problematic Internet use, self‑regulation, warmth
Copyright Information:	This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.
Date Deposited:	14 Aug 2025 01:57
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4409 Social work > 440902 Counselling, wellbeing and community services @ 100%
SEO Codes:	20 HEALTH > 2005 Specific population health (excl. Indigenous health) > 200501 Adolescent health @ 100%
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