Socioeconomic status and young people's digital maturity: The role of parental mediation

In a cross-sectional study conducted with 1065 parent-child dyads with adolescents aged 12 to 18, we examined the association between socioeconomic background and ‘digital maturity’, defined as the self-determined use of digital technologies that supports psychological growth and well-being while avoiding risks of the digital world. While previous research has focused primarily on digital addiction and the risks associated with technology use, this study takes a broader perspective that encompasses both the management of risks and the exploitation of opportunities of digital technologies for individual advancement. To understand the antecedents of digital maturity, we investigated the association of family background and personality traits with adolescents' digital maturity. Specifically, we examined whether parental influence on adolescents' usage patterns mediates the association of socioeconomic status with digital maturity. We assessed socioeconomic status (SES), active parental mediation, agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and digital maturity. Agreeableness and conscientiousness positively, and negative emotionality negatively predicted digital maturity. The relation of SES to digital maturity was fully mediated by active parental mediation.