Parental Guidance Strategies for Their Child’s Social Media Consumption
Explore effective parental guidance strategies for managing your child's social media consumption. Discover research topic ideas to help navigate the complexities of social media use among children.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
5/19/20253 min read
In today’s digitally driven world, children are exposed to an ever-growing ecosystem of social media platforms that are rapidly shaping their behavior, identity, and interpersonal skills. From YouTube shorts to TikTok reels and messaging apps, young users are engaging with media content at increasingly younger ages. This shift has turned parental involvement into a crucial factor in shaping healthy digital habits and protecting children from online risks. While some parents attempt to monitor screen time and filter inappropriate content, others engage in open discussions or co-use strategies to better understand their child’s media behavior. However, the question remains: which strategies truly work in fostering both safety and positive engagement? As Filipino children increasingly adopt social media as a primary space for learning and connection, the need to identify effective parental guidance frameworks becomes more urgent than ever.
Who Can Use These Topics
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS in Psychology
BS in Social Work
BS in Nursing
BS in Development Communication
BA in Communication
BS in Child Development and Education
BS in Information Technology
Senior High School Strands:
Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
Emerging studies have illuminated the important role of parental guidance in shaping children’s digital behavior. However, key research gaps remain:
Lack of quantifiable outcomes in strategy effectiveness: Although Jackline (2023) documented how parents in Kampala use content filtering and co-viewing, the study did not evaluate which of these methods were most successful in minimizing exposure to harmful content or improving digital well-being over time.
No platform-specific differentiation: Wang and Chen (2022) proposed a four-dimensional model of parental interventions but did not explore how strategy effectiveness might change across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or messaging apps, which differ in content speed and interactivity.
Focus only on risk reduction, not digital growth: Sevilla-Fernández et al. (2025) emphasized how parental mediation reduces cyber risks but did not assess whether these same strategies also promote positive online learning or creativity.
Limited cultural or socioeconomic comparison: While Nagata et al. (2025) linked parental monitoring to lower screen time issues, the study did not address how guidance styles adapt across diverse economic or cultural settings—such as in the Philippines.
Small, localized samples limit generalizability: The study by Comidoy-Acol (2024) on mothers in Davao City provided in-depth narratives but lacked statistical representation and did not track long-term changes in children's behavior.
Strategy use vs. behavioral outcomes remains unclear: Alontaga and Tongson (2024) found that parental control influenced grit among children but did not compare which guidance methods—like discussion vs. discipline—had the most meaningful effects.
No longitudinal studies on strategy efficacy: Montecillo (2024) explored how parental mediation shapes kindergartners’ development but didn’t measure the long-term effectiveness of co-use, dialogue, or content restrictions on social media literacy.
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Alontaga, J. V., & Tongson, R. (2024). Relationship of Digital Media Consumption with Grittiness Among Filipino Children Aged 7-8 Years Old. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 9(2), 272-283.
Comidoy-Acol, M. D. S. (2024). Mothers Know Best: Analyzing Maternal Mediation Strategies for Guiding Children's Media Use in Davao City, Philippines. The Journal of Development Communication, 35(2), 1-9.
Jackline, K. (2023). Navigating the digital world: a study of parental guidance of children’s media consumption in Kampala.
Montecillo, R. M. A. (2024). MEDIA EXPOSURE AND PARENTAL MEDIATION: IMPLICATIONS ON KINDERGARTNERS’DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS. Ignatian International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 2(8), 484-496.
Nagata, J. M., Paul, A., Yen, F., Smith-Russack, Z., Shao, I. Y., Al-Shoaibi, A. A., ... & Baker, F. C. (2025). Associations between media parenting practices and early adolescent screen use. Pediatric Research, 97(1), 403-410.
Sevilla-Fernández, D., Díaz-López, A., Caba-Machado, V., Machimbarrena, J. M., Ortega-Barón, J., & González-Cabrera, J. (2025). Parental mediation and the use of social networks: A systematic review. PloS one, 20(2), e0312011.
Wang, B., & Chen, J. (2022). Parental intervention strategies and operating mechanism on adolescent social media use—the concept of literacy improvement based on interaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1043850.