The effects of parent–child communication patterns on children's interactive communication in online communities: focusing on social self-efficacy and unwillingness to communicate as mediating factors

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine which of the following factors influence children's online communication: parent–child communication (PCC), social self-efficacy (SSE), and unwillingness to communicate (UTC). To examine children's online communication, the researchers obtained survey data from 425 elementary school students in South Korea and tested a hypothesized structural model using EQS/Windows. The findings suggest that open communication between parents and children is associated with higher levels of SSE and lower levels of UTC among children. According to the two variables, open PCC has an indirect influence on interactive communication in online communities. Overall, this study offers meaningful results indicating that children's interactive online communication is influenced by their characteristics of interpersonal communication resulting from open PCC.