Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(4):266-272

How Parental Attitudes Affect the Risky Computer and Internet Usage Patterns of Adolescents: a Population-based Study in the Bursa District of Turkey

Yeºim Uncu1, Pınar Vural2, Çağatay Büyükuysal3, Züleyha Alper1, Emine Zinnur Kılıç4
1 Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Uludag, Gorukle/Bursa, Turkey
2 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Uludag, Bursa, Turkey
3 Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of Bulent Ecevit, Zonguldak, Turkey
4 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, School of Medicine,University of Yeditepe, Istanbul, Turkey

Background: We aimed to evaluate the computer usage patterns of adolescents and to determine the effects of family life and parental attitude on these patterns.

Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, population-based survey that included 935 children between 11 and 16 years of age who were students in the second level of primary school and their parents as well. The following instruments were used in the survey: student and parent questionnaires on computer usage patterns and the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI) to assess parental attitudes towards child-rearing and family life.

Results: Of the study population, the majority of the students had a computer in their homes and spent a lot of time on the Internet. Parental control over the amount of time spent on the Internet and the websites that were visited had sometimes limited and contradictory effects on computer usage among the students. A democratic parental attitude was the best approach. Using the computer as a reward or punishment had a negative impact on the children's computer usage patterns.

Conclusions: Although parents are confused concerning the benefits and harms of the Internet for their children and not certain how to manage their children's use of the computer and safe navigation of the Internet, a democratic parental attitude appears to be the best approach for reaching the most beneficial computer usage patterns for students.

Keywords: computer, Internet, parents, Turkey, data collection, early adolescence

Received: February 3, 2014; Revised: October 17, 2014; Accepted: October 17, 2014; Published: December 1, 2014  Show citation

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Uncu Y, Vural P, Büyükuysal Ç, Alper Z, Kılıç EZ. How Parental Attitudes Affect the Risky Computer and Internet Usage Patterns of Adolescents: a Population-based Study in the Bursa District of Turkey. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2014;22(4):266-272. PubMed PMID: 25622487.
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