Perceptions of online parental mediation, screen time and social networks in minors: a latent profile analysis

Abstract In recent years, the relationship between the dimensions of online parental mediation (OPM) and minors’ use of screens and social networks has been studied. However, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the most effective strategies to promote adequate psychosocial adjustment, leading to the need to broaden the focus of OPM and analyze it from alternative perspectives. The objectives are: (1) to identify the profiles of OPM perceived by the children; (2) to relate these profiles to the time spent on devices and social networks. This study involved 4371 students from 32 schools in 11 Spanish regions aged 11 to 15 years ( M age =12.52, SD = 1.04). A validated OPM questionnaire with six dimensions was used: active mediation of internet use, active mediation of internet safety, child-initiated mediation, parental monitoring, technical controls, and restrictive mediation. In addition, ad hoc variables on the usage time of devices and social networks were examined. OPM was analyzed with latent profile analysis and chi-square comparisons with Bonferroni correction. The results revealed four mediation profiles: integral mediation (IM) (20.9%), proactive mediation (PM) (25.6%), technological mediation (TM) (26.2%), and minimal mediation (MM) (27.3%). The IM profile, which reflects a global and balanced approach to all the dimensions, was significantly associated with lower screen and social media usage times ( p ≤. 001), whereas MM was related to higher usage time ( p ≤. 001). Concerning the intermediate profiles, TM was generally related to less usage time than PM. The findings suggest that the amount of mediation is more relevant than the specific strategy, providing a more comprehensive view of OPM in today’s digital context.