PARENTAL MEDIATION STRATEGIES OF TEENAGERS' SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Studies in Nigeria have shown the prevalence of social media usage among adolescents in Nigeria and this has both positive and negative effects on them, making the need for parental mediation pertinent. Most studies on parental mediation done in Nigeria adopt quantitative method of data gathering. In order to provide in-depth understanding and additional insight into parental mediation practices and strategies in the Nigerian context, the present study adopted a qualitative approach. The objective of this study is to explore the strategies parents in Lokoja use to mediate the social media usage of their teenage children. Based on the parental mediation theory, the study made use of in depth interview method to gather responses to questions on the mediation practices adopted by 13 parents with regard to the social media usage of their teenage children. Findings revealed that to mediate the negative influences teenagers are exposed via social media usage, parents employ a combination of strategies such as counseling, restriction, monitoring and seizing of phones. The study recommends that parents continue to update their knowledge of social media in order to guide their wards more effectively and other knowledgeable close family members such as older siblings should be involved in mediation.