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Background <p>Excessive screen time among children is a growing concern, with studies linking it to negative health effects. While many parents adopt various strategies to manage this issue, the use of technology-based mediation, particularly technical restriction methods such as parental control tools, remains limited, especially in culturally diverse settings like Malaysia. This study explores parents’ beliefs and needs regarding digital tools to help reduce their children’s excessive screen use.</p> Method <p>A qualitative study was conducted among twenty-one parents from various cultural backgrounds in Malaysia, recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted either in person or via Zoom, depending on participants’ preferences. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed using NVivo 15 software.</p> Findings <p>Thematic analysis identified forty-two codes, synthesised into nineteen sub-themes and four main themes. <i>Realities of Digital Parenting</i> captured concerns about how screen time affected children’s development, behaviour, and family routines. <i>Balancing Parenting Values</i> reflected how parenting strategies were shaped by experience, child maturity, and cultural or religious beliefs. <i>Navigating Technology-Based Mediation</i> explored parents’ engagement with digital tools, revealing varying levels of digital literacy and challenges in fitting existing solutions into daily life. <i>Needs in Digital Parenting Tools</i> outlined expectations for more user-friendly, intelligent, and culturally aligned tools, along with support from institutions and policymakers.</p> Conclusion <p>While parents recognise the potential of technology-based mediation, concerns over usability and daily integration hinder adoption. Effective implementation requires tools that are practical, reliable, and responsive to parenting realities, supported by collaborative efforts across families, educators, developers, and policymakers.</p>

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Navigating Digital Parenting: Malaysian Parents’ Views on Technology for Managing Children’s Screen Time

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月22日

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  • Azwanis Abdul Hadi,
  • Nur Zafirah Zauddin,
  • Siti Roshadai Mohd Arifin,
  • Sharon Lilian How

摘要

Background

Excessive screen time among children is a growing concern, with studies linking it to negative health effects. While many parents adopt various strategies to manage this issue, the use of technology-based mediation, particularly technical restriction methods such as parental control tools, remains limited, especially in culturally diverse settings like Malaysia. This study explores parents’ beliefs and needs regarding digital tools to help reduce their children’s excessive screen use.

Method

A qualitative study was conducted among twenty-one parents from various cultural backgrounds in Malaysia, recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted either in person or via Zoom, depending on participants’ preferences. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed using NVivo 15 software.

Findings

Thematic analysis identified forty-two codes, synthesised into nineteen sub-themes and four main themes. Realities of Digital Parenting captured concerns about how screen time affected children’s development, behaviour, and family routines. Balancing Parenting Values reflected how parenting strategies were shaped by experience, child maturity, and cultural or religious beliefs. Navigating Technology-Based Mediation explored parents’ engagement with digital tools, revealing varying levels of digital literacy and challenges in fitting existing solutions into daily life. Needs in Digital Parenting Tools outlined expectations for more user-friendly, intelligent, and culturally aligned tools, along with support from institutions and policymakers.

Conclusion

While parents recognise the potential of technology-based mediation, concerns over usability and daily integration hinder adoption. Effective implementation requires tools that are practical, reliable, and responsive to parenting realities, supported by collaborative efforts across families, educators, developers, and policymakers.