Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Aaron Metzger

Committee Co-Chair

William Fremouw

Committee Member

Amy Gentzler

Abstract

The present study examined associations among internet and cellular phone specific parental monitoring strategies (rules, solicitation and indirect strategies), adolescent internet/phone information management strategies (disclosure and secrecy), and youth experience with internet risks (cyberbullying/victimization and risky internet behaviors). The sample included 155 adolescents (12-18 years, Mage = 14.38) and their parents (141 mothers, 51 fathers). Youth reported how often they disclosed or kept secret their internet and phone activities and their experience with internet risks. Parents reported how often they engaged in internet/phone specific monitoring strategies. Adolescents' time spent utilizing cell phones, but not time spent on general internet use was associated with cyberbullying, cyber victimization, and risky internet behaviors. Adolescent disclosure was associated with less risky internet/phone behaviors in mother-adolescent dyads. Parental rules and solicitation were not associated with teens' internet risks. Mothers' use of more covert strategies (e.g., reading text messages) was associated with more risky internet/phone behaviors for adolescent girls, whereas fathers' use of such covert strategies was associated with increased risky internet/phone behaviors for older adolescents. The findings point to the complex ways in which different facets of parent-adolescent communication may serve to protect youth from the potential dangers of internet and cell phone use.

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