Parental Involvement in Regulating Digital Media Usage Among Selected Senior Secondary School Students in Gombe Metropolis

The rapid expansion of digital media has transformed adolescents' learning, communication, and social interactions. While digital media provides educational and social opportunities, excessive and unregulated use exposes adolescents to risks such as cyberbullying, online harassment, poor academic performance, and excessive screen time. Parents play a critical role in guiding and regulating their children's digital media use; however, evidence on parental involvement in the Nigerian context remains limited. This study examined parental involvement in regulating digital media use among senior secondary school students in Gombe Metropolis, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study involved 310 senior secondary school students selected from public secondary schools in Gombe Metropolis using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The findings revealed that most students reported a moderate level of parental involvement in regulating their digital media use. The study further found a statistically significant moderate negative relationship between parental involvement and digital media use, indicating that increased parental involvement was associated with lower levels of digital media use among students. The findings also showed that although parental regulation promotes responsible online behaviour and protects adolescents from online risks, parents experience challenges such as limited digital literacy, inadequate monitoring skills, and peer influence on adolescents. The study concludes that effective parental involvement is essential for promoting responsible digital media use among adolescents. It recommends that parents, schools, and policymakers collaborate to strengthen digital literacy and establish effective strategies for guiding adolescents' online behaviour.

Parental involvement, digital media use, adolescents, secondary school students, Nigeria

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