Children in the Digital World from a Parental Perspective: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Children in the Digital World from a Parental Perspective: A Scoping Review Abstract This scoping review examines how parents perceive, manage their children's interactions with digital media. The review focuses on the relationship between parents' digital literacy levels, control strategies, and children's screen time habits. Based on the analysis of 23 peer-reviewed studies published between 2016-2024, the findings reveal how children use digital media for entertainment and educational purposes, how parents perceive the risks associated with excessive screen time, how parental roles have shifted from rule enforcers to digital guides. Children's screen time is shaped by their access to digital devices, their parents' level of awareness, supervision approaches, and boundary-setting practices. Excessive, unstructured screen use can negatively impact family communication, children's physical, psychological development, and academic performance. Moreover, authoritarian parenting styles are noted to increase children's resistance and the amount of time spent in front of screens. In contrast, supportive and digitally literate parents effectively manage online threats. The review also acknowledges a lack of focus on cultural diversity, differences across digital media types, recommending that future research address these gaps. Keywords: Parental Digital Literacy, Children’s Screen Time, Digital Parenting, Parental Mediation, Family Communication