Nurse-Led Intervention To Enhance Mothers' Knowledge Of Parental Mediation Strategies For Managing Digital Device Use Among Early Adolescents

Abstract

The pervasive use of digital devices among children and adolescents has raised global concerns, linking excessive use to health and developmental issues, such as poor sleep, reduced physical activity, and exposure to inappropriate content. Parents play a crucial role in regulating their children's device use, yet many lack sufficient knowledge and skills to implement effective parental mediation strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention in improving mothers' knowledge of parental mediation strategies for early adolescent digital device use. A true experimental design with pre- and post-tests was employed, involving 400 mothers of children aged 10–14 years, selected through simple random sampling. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups (200 each). The study group participants received a Self-Instructional Module (SIM) and attended an online training session. Post-tests were conducted on the seventh day, and the control group received the SIM after the study as an ethical measure. Data were analysed using SPSS 20.0. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in knowledge among the experimental group compared to the control group (p=0.001), demonstrating the intervention's effectiveness. This study underscores the critical role of nurses in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to manage their children's digital device use. The findings support the integration of nursing-led interventions into policies and guidelines to enhance parental involvement and create a healthier digital environment for children and adolescents.