Smartphone Use Guidance Experiences of Parents of Elementary School Students

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand smartphone use guidance experiences of parents elementary school students.Methods: Qualitative data were collected from 10 parents of elementary school students through individual in-depth interview from January 2022 to February 2022. Collected data were analyzed using the Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.Results: The following four categories were derived from in-depth interviews: ‘Ambivalence on children's smartphone use’, ‘Limitations of guidance competence’, ‘Strategy for guidance’, and ‘New insights and challenges’.Conclusion: This study confirmed that parents of elementary school students were experiencing insight and growth in the process of constantly thinking, trying new strategies, and struggling while guiding their children’s smartphone use. Parental education on elementary school students' smartphone use guidance should include comprehensive contents that could check awareness and principles of useful smartphone use and enable effective guidance tailored to the child's developmental characteristics.