Using the story completion method to explore Australian parent and child responses to online risk

Abstract

This study uses the story completion method to explore how young people and their parents respond to online risks. During 13 family workshops with Australian participants which utilised a participatory action research approach, 197 parents and children responded to hypothetical online risk scenarios by completing one of seven story ‘stems’. Reflexive thematic analysis of participants’ stories revealed empathy and compassion for the hypothetical protagonists, as well as a range of practical, technical and discursive/communicative strategies for addressing risk. Most participants – especially children – demonstrated a pragmatic approach that drew on a range of practical skills and knowledge, eschewing sensationalised accounts documenting worst-case scenarios. This study offers insights which may inform policy and educational approaches to online safety for adolescents, highlighting a need to move beyond a deficit and protectionist approach to minimising online risks for young people, towards recognition of children’s knowledge, competencies, agency and resilience.