The Effects of Parental Attachment and Parental Monitoring on High Risk Internet Behaviors in Adolescent Females
Open Access
Author:
Knauer, Kirsten Nicole
Area of Honors:
Biobehavioral Health
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jennie G Noll, Thesis Supervisor David John Vandenbergh, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
parental monitoring parental attachment sexual abuse Internet Facebook
Abstract:
Objective: To assess the mediating effects of parental quality and parental monitoring on high-risk Internet behaviors (HRIBs) in abused (n = 75) and non-abused girls (n = 112).
Design: One hundred eighty seven adolescent girls were studied to examine patterns of HRIBs via their Facebook profile pages. The participants’ pages were assessed for presence of sexually provocative content and vulnerability. Questionnaires assessing parental quality and parental monitoring were given to both adolescents and caregivers at time point one and used to examine the relationship between these mediators and HRIBs.
Methods: Adolescents given questionnaires to fill out regarding parental quality and parental monitoring with caregiver consent. The scores were aggregated to give one number assessing parental quality and another for parental monitoring. Snapshots of the adolescent participants’ Facebook pages were used to assess HRIBs. A multivariate correlation was used to measure the effects of parental quality and parental monitoring on HRIBs.
Results: Statistical analysis found no significant relationship between either parental quality or parental monitoring on HRIBs in adolescent girls.
Conclusion: Further research about protective factors against HRIBs in adolescent girls needs to be done to help shape policy and intervention efforts in the future.