Mindfulness as a protective factor against online risk-taking in middle school-aged children: the predictive effects of demographic and personal characteristics

Online risk-taking among middle school-aged children is a growing concern, along with its potential consequences. With the widespread use of internet technologies, the likelihood of children encountering online risks can increase in parallel with the increase in usage. To date, there has been very little research on factors that could protect against online risks. The current study aims to fill this knowledge gap by measuring online risk-taking and mindfulness levels in a sample of 574 middle school students in Ankara, Türkiye, using descriptive and correlational screening models to determine the relationship between mindfulness and online risk-taking among middle school-age children and how demographic and personal characteristics predict both variables. Data were collected using the "Online Risk-Taking Scale" to measure online risk-taking levels, the "Mindfulness Scale for Children and Adolescents" to measure mindfulness attitudes, and the "Demographic and Personal Information Questionnaire" to measure demographic and personal characteristics. The results indicate a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and online risk-taking; demographic and personal characteristics such as age, gender, academic achievement, and daily screen time significantly influence online risk-taking; age, gender, birth order, father's employment status, academic achievement, social relationships, and daily screen time significantly influence mindfulness. These findings emphasize the importance of mindfulness in online risk-taking, highlight the need for further research on this topic in this age group and on mechanisms to prevent children from engaging in risky behavior online; underscore the need for collaboration among all environmental systems in which children are embedded to keep them safe online; and stress the importance of developing educational programs and interventions to enhance children's mindfulness.