Abstract:
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teens' opinions of the influence their parents' technology practices have on teens' technology practices. There is an absence of research in the area of parental influence over teens' technology practices (Ito, 2010; Yu, Yuen, & Jae, 2012). Few teens have considered their parents' role in their technology practices. Other than providing teens with access to technology, parents' roles are often overlooked. Parents are often hesitant to discuss technology with their teens because of their lack of knowledge about technology (Odendaal, 2004). Parental concerns are typically the focus of research surrounding the parent-child relationship and teen technology practices (Ito, 2010; Odendaal, 2004; Plowman, 2010). This study contributes to the research on teens' opinions of their parents' technology use and knowledge. The teens discussed their interactions and views on the relationship with their parents and technology. Teens underestimated parents' contribution to teens' technology practices in discussions. The results to a teen questionnaire, however, indicated their parents affected their technology practices. This research will enable parents to understand the importance of their role in their teens' technology practices and allow teens to see how much their parents influence them.
