Interventions on Technology Mediation Strategies for Parents of Preschool Children

Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

The increased use of digital technologies by children has raised concerns across various sectors of society. Studies suggest that parental mediation can mitigate negative effects, making it crucial to prepare parents for this role. The objective of this study was to identify and describe “strategies for teaching technology mediation” and “parental teaching strategies” found in intervention research on technology mediation aimed at parents of preschool-aged children. An integrative literature review was conducted using empirical articles sourced from SciELO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases on interventions with parents of children aged 0-6 years. Out of the 211 studies found, five were analyzed. The strategies were categorized into two groups: “Strategies for teaching parents”: (a) Providing supportive materials, (b) Expository instruction, (c) Support/Counseling, (d) Group activities; and “Mediation strategies taught to parents”: (e) Setting rules to reduce screen time, (f) Including alternative activities, (g) Shared reading, (h) Banning meals in front of the TV, (i) Removing electronics from children's bedrooms. It was concluded that the strategies taught to parents primarily aim at reducing screen time and that strategies for teaching parents tend to be used in combination.