Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract: Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube play a vital role to
adolescents in this generation, as these help them to maintain connection, social interaction to the
people around them and entertainment as well. Despite the convenience that social media bring into
millennials, their increasing time consumed in social media sites serve as the rise of parent-child
relationship problem due to the teenagers’ improper usage of social media through posting their
personal issues on their respective social media accounts, involving in risky social media activities,
etc. In line to this problem, this study aims to investigate the relationship between social media
involvement of the students and their relationship with their parents that will determine if the
adolescents’ time spent in social media does affect their relationship with their parents. To
determine the relationship of adolescents’ social media involvement and parental relationship, the
researchers used the Social Networking Time Use Scale (SONTUS) that measures the time they
spent on social media and self-constructed test, Parent-Child Relationship Scale were administered
to the 286 college students (ages 16 to 23) from Asia Pacific College in Magallanes, Makati City.
Using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient, positive weak correlations indicates that there were no
significant correlations found between the level of social media involvement and parental
relationship of the college students. Findings of the study indicate that as the students involve
themselves in social media sites, their relationship with their parents is not affected.
Key Words: Social Media ; Parental Relationship ; Social Media Involvement ; SONTUS Scale ;
Parent-Child Relationship Scale
engaging themselves in social media- posting a Communication which was once done only by means
massive variety of content, updating statuses, and of face-to-face communication or physical contact and
uploading and sharing of photos and videos. By being connection were now changed due to Social Media
more active and spending a lot of time in social and Internet. Individuals particularly adolescents,
media, a great part of this generation’s social and are spending many of their hours a day connecting
emotional development occurs on the Internet and on and communicating with their friends online using
their smartphones or gadgets. Due to absorption in their computers, smartphones, and other gadgets to
their social media sites, open communication with share their daily lives and acquire new information.
parents starts to diminish. Social media nowadays Due to excessive use of social media, many of the
become also a tool for posting the problems and students often neglect other aspects of their lives
sharing emotions that they are going through. Due to such as their academic life and time with their
this habit, the privacy or the things that must be family. Parents and their children no longer have
shared and remain within the members of the family, personal conversations because their children are
especially with parents has also declined. Many immersed with their technological devices, and they
parents may feel comfortable that their children are sometimes prefer to talk to their parents through
properly using online applications and websites but text messages or Facebook messages. Social media
they find it difficult to relate to the rapid plays a big change in dealing with others: sometimes,
development in information technology and to their it is beneficial because we can still get attached to
technologically-inclined children due to their the people who were far away from us (Quan-Haase,
insufficient technical abilities. On the side of parents, 2010). But the problem here is that, even if the
social media seems to be a hindrance for them to talk important people in the life of that person is nearby,
to their child face-to-face. Because of this millennials nowadays still prefer to be in-touch to
technological trend, parents nowadays do not know their social networking sites. The essence of
the interest of their children until they post it on socializing and having a face-to-face interaction was
social media. Also, they do not know on how they can also lessening (Keller, 2013). Thus, according to
find time to have a better communication and to Booth (2013), a professor at the University of
spend more time with their children. In the past Chicago, the interpersonal relationships we have
BBS, an online meeting place wherein users with other people already starts to diminish. Due to
communicate with a central system where they could the college students’ absorption in technology, social
download files or games and post messages to other media brings disadvantages to their relationship
users, is the online communication that were used. with their parents because the millennials nowadays
In the early computer days, technology has are more inclined to posting and sharing things that
constrained the BBS but, when the Internet was might affect them. Thus, the privacy of information
invented, BBS became popular on the years ‘80s up that must be addressed first to the family,
to ‘90s. Aside from BBS, the pioneer of the Internet specifically the parents, has a declined, as they keep
was American Online or AOL. In AOL, members on publicizing the things that they should not share
created searchable “Member Profiles” where the to others. They keep on giving personal information
members could list details about themselves and this about themselves, on what is happening around
became a feature of many social media sites today. them. Thus, even the problems that they are
As the real Internet boomed, Yahoo and Amazon experiencing are also posted online, by sharing
begun selling and buying of PCs became a trend. statuses about how they feel, reasons behind their
There was a rise of different social networking sites struggles, and other more in-depth explanation of
in 1990s such as Classmates.com and their problem. Another thing that causes the
SixDegrees.com. And in 2000s, social networking separation with the parents is the online game
sites became a hit to the adolescents because of absorption of college students, information overload
Friendster, LinkedIn and MySpace which both such as, web surfing for more than an hour, and even
launched on 2003, and the most popular today, having cyber-sexual and cyber-relationship addiction.
Facebook (Monte, 2013). These are the non-sense things that makes them
more technologically inclined, also it heightens the
Social media sites comprise of social not-so-good relationship they have with their parents
networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and (Young, 2010). Because of these, separation within
Twitter, video sites like YouTube, and blogging sites. the members of our family, college students
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
nowadays have already forgotten the essence of phones/smartphones, computers, and other gadgets.
communication with their parents. Specifically, social media sites are being used by the
students every day to share their daily activities,
1.2 Theoretical Framework post pictures and videos, and express themselves
through statuses in Facebook or tweets in Twitter.
Most of the parents in this generation still One theory that may explain the reason of the
impose a traditional type of parenting: they will students in using their social media is the Uses and
inspect the activities of their children from time-to- gratifications theory. Sangwan (2005) asserts that
time and being strict on the things that they must do. users of media are active and goal-oriented and
There are parents who are still doing this because therefore they will be motivated to choose a medium
they are being protective of their children and they that best gratifies their needs. (Luo, 2011; Sangwan,
are still treating their adolescent child as a “baby”. 2005). The primary function of uses and gratification
For some parents, no matter how old their child is, theory is to explain how psychological needs can
they are still “cute and little” babies in their eyes. shape people’s reasons to use a medium to fulfill
Due to the extreme love of parents to their children, their needs. (Roy, 2009; Rubin, 1994). Hence, based
adolescence might also be an excessive-dependent to on this theory, when people, specifically the students
their parents. This type of relationship is under John feel happy using social media and the connection
Bowlby’s Attachment theory. they feel when they are communicating with their
friends satisfy their need for socialization, this leads
Attachment theory pertains to the deep the students to become more inclined to use social
emotional bond of one person to the other media.
(Ainsworth, 1973; Bowlby, 1969). This type of When adolescents use their social media,
relationship provides an explanation behind the they sometimes don’t think appropriately on the
parent-child relationship that emerges and variety of contents they share to the public. Based on
influences the child’s development (Bowlby, 1958). the Detachment Theory of Parenting Adolescence,
Establishing this type of relationship is all right, but the detachment and freedom from of the parents to
not in excessive way because this might contribute to their children may result in the disorganization of
the immaturity and lack of independence of an their children’s personality. Adolescents tend to be
individual, even if excessive detachment is also not impulsive and irresponsible when it comes to making
good (Seltzer, 2009). This is what other parents feel decisions. Another worse contribution of this
right now. They feel that their children are already detachment to the relationship of parent-adolescent
detached from them, just because they are more is the negative attitude of the students against the
interested in spending their time to other activities parental authority. As they thought to themselves
rather than bonding with them. This type of the so- that they have already a sense of freedom and to
called “detachment” of adolescence seems to be a think that their decisions are right, they tend to
painful feeling on the side of parents. question their parents in terms of imposing discipline
In the Detachment Theory of Parenting to them. Thus, letting their parents know that their
Adolescence, the detachment of children to parent “rules” are not helpful for them, they have the
starts from ages 9-13, throughout the adolescent tendency to do risky things, which they know will not
stage. At this moment in their journey to adolescent be good for them, yet they are still engaging to those
life, parents must teach their child to have self- risky activities (Pickhardt, 2013).
independence, especially a sense of responsibility, for Detachment of children to their parents is
them to practice good decision-making. The problem crucial to be able to understand. Elders take this
in this detachment parenting among adolescents separation as an issue, because they associate this
starts to arise, as the adolescents, specifically college separation as a neglect to their caregivers,
students, are making impulsive decisions on their specifically to parents. But what essential thing that
lives. The best example of this in our time is the elders cannot see is that, this detachment is also a
adolescent’s improper and excessive usage of social part of their development, and it is just normal.
media. According to John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, the
The increase use and accessibility of attachment of child and parent has an impact on the
technology today allows adolescents to engage and child’s later development (Bowlby, 1969/1982, 1988).
interact with their friends online using their cell The bond that the child and parent have will be
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
maintained, yet there will be changes. Due to the LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and other similar
emergence of modernization, adolescents, specifically applications, people’s ways of communicating began
college students, tend to explore on their own way to change. Unlike the communication function of
and to find their new interest or leisure (i.e. social other online technologies, social media connects
media sites) when they are separated with their people in ways that is the same to traditional feelings
parents (i.e. when their parents are working at the of connections, belonging, loosely defined
office). But like what is stated in the theory, the memberships, exchange of feelings and ideas, and the
attachment is still present in their later reporting of experiences and actions. Shirky (2010)
development, if the parents will let know their suggested that social media technology has suddenly
children that they are just here for them, to lean on, lowered the costs of collaborating, sharing, and
and to support them. producing: thus, providing revolutionary new forms
In Bowlby’s Attachment and Loss, he stated of interaction and problem-solving.
that responsive caregivers must establish a secure
base for their children. Moreover, the child must Across the United States, the use of social
know that they have someone to depend on and there media varies greatly by age with older generations
is someone who will nurture them. If this participating less often than younger ones. Although
dependability is present, the child will have older generations are struggling to keep pace with
confidence and they will feel that they are safe, for the younger generations, recently there are 11% of
their survival to learn things on their own. Meaning, adults over 30 reported to be engaged online in
in this modern time, if the parents still have this activities such as blogging, and 22% of Internet users
type of good bond/attachment to their children, they over 50 reported being engaged in social networking
can still guide their children in their exploration to sites (Madden, 2010). On the other hand, younger
the things that they do, especially in the usage of generations are still the greatest users of social
social media; if the proper guidance for the students media. Among users with ages 18-29, 86% are
nowadays was established, the students do not have actively engaging in social networking sites (Lenhart,
to isolate themselves as they do some things on their Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010) compared to 61% of
own and they will know the pros and cons on the users 30-49 years old, 47% of users 50-64 years old,
things that they explore in different social and with 26% only of users over 65 years of age
networking sites. But the neglect of this proper (Madden, 2010).
guidance is the starting to arise: thus, the heightened Gender is the only significant demographic
stage of detachment begins. As the separation variable affecting social media use since there is
continues, children tend to neglect and they are some differences between men and women usage.
emotionally detached from their caregivers. The One study found out that women are more likely
interpersonal relationship with parents progressively than men to have a personal profile on Facebook, but
diminishes. Thus, children become no longer upset men are more likely than men to sustain a profile on
when their parents are there on their side. Even if LinkedIn. Also, both men and women were more
their interpersonal relationship with others is likely to use social network sites frequently if they
present, they have this superficial and lack of had college experience (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, &
warmth personality, because of the detachment they Zickuhr, 2010).
have with their parents.
It’s not just the young people who are more
1.3 Review of Related Literature inclined in technology, but even the older ones. Thus,
for the older people, usage of social media will be
Social Media Involvement helpful for them to be still updated on the trends in
the society so that they can still catch up despite of
Over the last decade, social media has their age. In one research, Perez (2011) has
transformed people’s thinking about relationships operationally defined internet usage as an ability of
and connections with others and the influences and the people to adopt, access and use internet for a
persuasive power of online communities on how huge variety of seeking information. He also found
people think, organize, and act politically. Since the out that majority of the participants in his study
beginning of the Internet and the creation of social acknowledged internet that give more convenience in
media sites like Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, their daily living. Thus, it was shown that older
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
people’s exposure to computer and internet found that 90% had used some form of social media,
consumption can proactive their attitude towards with texting (87%), social network sites (e.g.,
learning on the current societal changes. Facebook; 83%), email (77%), and instant messaging
(63%).
In the Philippines, social media use has
become a very common feature of most Filipino’s With the current statistics on the
daily lives. In 2015, the data of the Social Media and adolescents as the primary users of social media,
Digital Stats in the Philippines from Third Team there are researchers and professionals who have
Media shows that the Philippines remains as the demonstrated the reasons why young adults tend to
“Social Media Capital of the World”. Out of more use social media more often than adults or older
than 100 million population in the country, 44 people. In one article, Hajirnis (2015) wrote that
million are Internet users and 40 million of them are children and teenagers find social media useful to
active social media users. Recently, the 2016 data on develop their own identity, to seek significance and
Social Media and Digital Stats in the Philippines, the validation through receiving “likes” to share content
percentage of social media penetration has increased of self-expression such as artwork, music, and
from 40% in 2015 to 47% in 2016. This data means political views, and to serve as a place to “hang-out”
that social media continues to be an essential part in with friends and stay connected with them to not
the lives of Filipinos who have increased access to the miss out anything.
Internet via their mobile phones and electronic
devices (Castro, 2016). In the article by Digital Children and adolescents are affected by
Marketing Philippines, from the 40 million active their absorption in social media in numerous ways.
social media users, 65% of them are teenagers and There are researches that focused on the profound
young adults, and 81% of them access their accounts effects that social media has on the social
daily (Gregorio, 2013). relationship of the young adults. One way that social
media is changing how young adults interact with
Students’ Social Media Involvement their network of relationships is when the
relationship of others is visible to many in Facebook,
Traditional-aged college students have this results in a loss of privacy within personal
involved social media technology in their everyday relationships (Strickland, 2014). Also, although using
lives. For this generation, social media technology is social media is used by the adolescents in keeping up
a primary means of communication information with the lives of their friends, it has been shown that
seeking and a central component of their identity and monitoring others’ activities on social media can lead
community building. In a 2008 interview, Professor to negative relationship outcomes such as online and
of Psychiatry at UCLA, Dr. Gary Small, suggests offline relational intrusion (Lyndon, Bonds-Raacke,
that “digital natives” or the young people born in the & Cratty, 2011).
world of cellphones and laptops, text messaging and
tweeting, spend an average of more than eight hours Previous research findings have
a day exposed to digital technology. demonstrated that young people tend to use social
media to maintain already existing offline
On a recent national poll completed by relationships. A study of 251 adolescents indicated
Harvard Institute of Politics (2011), over 90% of that adolescents primarily use social networking
students at four-year colleges reported having sites to connect with people they know offline and
Facebook profiles. In an additional study, usage is demonstrated moderate overlap in closest online and
strongest among first-semester freshmen and offline friends, suggesting that social media is used to
sophomores among such students at four-year strengthen offline relationships (Reich,
institutions (Junco, 2011). In a more recent survey of Subrhamanyam, & Espinoza, 2012). In addition, a
a proportional national sample of 456 four-year study of 110 college students, comprised mostly of
accredited U.S. Institutions, 100% reported using Latina/os and Asians/ Asian-Americans, revealed
some form of social media, with Facebook (used by that students tend to use social networking sites to
98%) and Twitter (used by 84%) (Barnes & Lescault, keep in touch with and make plans with family and
2011). Another recent survey of social and digital friends (Subrahmanyam, Reich, Weichter, &
communications conducted by Common Sense Media Espinoza, 2008; cited in McLean & Syed, 2015).
(2012) use by 1030 adolescents ages 13-17, it was
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
Parental Roles in the Family 2005; cited in Alampay, 2014). It was said that the
mothers, as the Filipino family’s concept “ilaw ng
Before the rise of modernization when the tahanan,” they were expected to be the one that
time that Filipinos learn how to familiarize every young people must follow in terms of setting
themselves with technology, for them to be able to rules and moral lessons, since it is their role to raise
widely socialize with others, their ancestors already their children as a good model of the society.
taught them how they should mingle to the people However, the perception of Filipino youth’s authority
around them. In the Philippines, Belen T.G. Medina within the family shows that they mostly see the
said in her book “The Filipino Family” published in dominance of their fathers rather than mothers.
year 2015, she stated that parenting roles and Hence, as the dominance of authority within the
responsibilities vary in the later years. In Philippine family is being more practiced than building
tradition, the culture of Filipinos in terms of harmonious relationship, it was shown that
parenting exists unambiguously. Being a parent is a adolescence feel lack of communication and
lifetime commitment. As the parents grow older, they emotional support with their fathers (McCann-
become wiser as their responsibilities multiply as Erikson, Philippines 2006; NFO Trends, 2001;
well. They become more hands-on and firm in raising Parreñas, 2006; cited in Alampay, 2014). According
their children, because they will be the children’s to the Christian Family Movement, in the book
primary source of life as they provide the entitled “The Filipino Family” by Belen Medina
physiological, safety, financial and emotional support (2015), having family encounter, sharing their
that they need to survive. Parents are also the role thoughts, experiences that they have for the day,
model of the youth: not only because they are the listening to the burden that the children have and
authority in the family, but because they set a good showing love and compassion will be a good practice
example of moral values that they should learn for for them to discover the strengths and weaknesses
them to become better individuals. They were looked that they have: therefore, it will be helpful for the
up by the adolescence in a sense of establishing parents to show their support for their children and
nobility of character, handling difficult guide them to the right choices that they should
responsibilities, and having a holistic perspective in made. Thus, the youth would never feel that they are
life. Parents also serve as a mediator whenever there not alone.
is a conflict that family members experience to have
reconciliation. They also act as their primary The role of parents in socialization of the
guidance counselors, in which they give advices on youth today seems to be more accountable, due to the
the path that their children should choose for them to rapid existence of risky activities in which the
have a better life, since they were the first one who millennial youth today are the victims most of the
are being consulted when it comes to the choices and time. In this generation, we can say that the
decisions they make, and they will be there for their adolescents tend to be more impulsive in their
adolescent children until they grow mature and behavior and making decisions for themselves. In the
choose their life on their own. For them, seeing their book “The Filipino Family,” socialization is a process
adolescent children to grow, to mature, and to have a wherein an individual exercise the norms, moral
sense of independence is a fulfillment for them as a values and attitudes in the society where that person
parent and they will not stop guiding them through belongs (Medina, 2015). Being with your family is
adulthood. one of the most likeable environment that everyone
could have, as the harmonious relationship you
In the article of Lian Peña Alampay (2014) planted from one another will lead to growth and
entitled “Parenting in the Philippines,” as the development of themselves: thus, this type of family
parents set more ground rules to their teenagers, the will be a role model of society (Boyden, 1993; cited in
more they feel that they don’t have independence to Medina, 2015).
decide for their own. This suggest that as they face
their journey to young adulthood, the cognitive Parental Relationship
function and disposition of Filipino adolescence
continue to progress as they practice to think about Family is the fundamental unit of our
their choices and decides for what they wanted, since society. In the family, people learn so many things
their sense of autonomy starts to arise (Darling et.al., that may affect the behavior that they will portray in
their environment. Together with their family
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
members, they will learn more about the norms, making as the ground for resolving conflicts that
moral values, ethical standards, traditions, beliefs teens have with their parents. Sense making plays a
and socialization: these are the factors that shape major role, which promotes closeness and
their culture. From the traditional practices of understanding within the family: moreover, it
parenting styles up to this modern time, they would encompasses empathy and communication process as
determine the way how young people raised by their the main domain for this intervention to be more
parents will be a reflection or a background of how effective (Mills & Piotrowski, 2009; cited in McLaren
they will behave, socialize and react in the changes of & Sillars, 2014).
the society, as they know the other environmental
factors that contribute to the present behavior that Parent and child relationship is different
young people have. In this body of literature, the than all other relationships. Dr. Keith Crnic,
researchers will look at the transition of Filipino Professor and Chairman of the Psychology
culture in terms of nurturing children, and based on Department at Arizona State University has
what young people have gained or learned from the extensively studied parent-child relationship in most
old folks, they will see how it affect their attitude and of his career. For Dr. Crnic, parent-child
behavior, as they build harmonious relationships relationships develop over time, influenced by child
with the people surrounding them. Also, the characteristics, parent characteristics, and the
researchers will see how the bond or relationship contexts in which families operate. These factors mix
they have with their parents will change as the time together in unique ways to create incredible diversity
goes by, brought by the societal changes that affect in the qualities of those relationships. (Farber, 2016).
their character and the way they deal with the One of the factors that affect the relationship of the
authority. parent and their children is the emotion. Emotion
plays an important role in the development and path
In a research study conducted by Rachel M. of parent-child relationships. Children’s emotions
McLaren and Alan Sillars entitled “Hurtful Episodes affect parental behaviors and parental emotions
in Parent–Adolescent Relationships: How Accounts affecting children’s development and behaviors. The
and Attributions Contribute to the Difficulty of regulation of emotion is especially critical in parent-
Talking about Hurt” published in year 2014, they child relationships, for parents as models, and for
gathered participants ages 13-17 years old and their children as a core developmental competence.
parents. There were 35 mother-daughter, 47 mother- Another important factor is attunement. This
son, 7 father-daughter and 6 father-son who involves the dynamic and complex patterns of
participated in the study, to attest the conflict sensitive mutual understandings and interactions
between parents and adolescence that usually arises between children and their parents. Dr. Bornstein
during their adolescent development because of some noted, “when interaction with caregivers fall out of
issues that this period face (Branje, Laursen, & attunement by becoming mistimed or mismatched,
Collins, 2013; Noller, 1995; cited in McLaren & children and parents both experience distress”
Sillars, 2014) such as teenager’s individuality and (Coburn, Cirnic, & Ross, 2015).
their parents’ securing socialization to their children
(Bengtson & Kuypers, 1971; Meichenbaum, Fabiano, One of the fundamental factors that plays a
& Fincham, 2002.; Noller, 1995; cited in McLaren & vital role in parent-child relationship is
Sillars, 2014). Hurt refers to the emotional pain from communication. Communication involves listening,
being rejected or being unvalued by the people availability, understanding, mutual respect and
around him (Vangelisti, 1994; cited in McLaren & emotion. It establishes and maintains relationship
Sillars, 2014). This pain might damage the between parents and children, makes interaction
interpersonal relationships we have, especially our between parents and their children effective and
strong bond within the family (Vangelisti, 1998; cited strong, and it significantly contributes to creating
in McLaren & Sillars, 2014). It was shown in this understanding and mutual acceptance between
research that the parents seem to experience parents and children. Ngai et al. (2013) asserted that
extreme hurt than their adolescent child, as the communication is very important especially if
result of their disassociation with them (Mills et.al., parents want to find better ways of conveying
2002; cited in McLaren & Sillars, 2014). As the important life values to their children. In an
researchers proposed intervention, they refer “sense experiment conducted by Ngai et al. (2013), it was
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
cited in Eshleman,1997; cited in Medina, 2015). In with online technologies today is the issue of
the present time, where confidentiality and privacy revealing too much information. The risk of revealing
divulged due to the modernize way of communicating too much information are increased chances of online
and following the people we encounter in our daily harassment or cyberbullying, increased chances of
living brought by social media, the issue of respecting being located at your home or wherever you are, and
ownership and invasion of lives that may ruin the life identity theft. They should explain to them the
of younger people progressively heightens as time benefits and consequences of using social media and
goes by. the importance of privacy to minimize their exposure
of personal information. Parents must discuss those
In the article entitled “Is technology creating issues to their children appropriately. As the parents
a family divide?” written by Jim Taylor, he discuss these to young people to reprimand them,
mentioned studies that suggested the impact of they should not throw unkind words to them, just
children’s involvement in technology, such as texting because it’s part of their discipline to them.
and playing video games, to children’s relationship Moreover, it might evoke emotional pain for
with their parents. One study found out that when adolescence to be more resistant to listen and follow
parent arrived home after work, their children are so what is right for them.
immersed in their phones and gadgets that the
parents were greeted only 30 percent of the time and In this modern time, we cannot just say that
was totally ignored 50 percent of the time. He also technology, specifically social networking sites will
mentioned that the new technology offers children just bring harm to the lives of the people. We all
independence from their parents’ involvement in know how technology brings convenience and
their social lives, with the use of mobile phones, benefits to obtain our needs, even keeping-in-touch
instant messaging, and social networking sites. With with someone whose far-away from us. Based on a
this, children see this technological divide between journal article by Mirca Madianou and Daniel Miller
themselves and their parents as freedom from over- (2012) entitled “Polymedia: Towards a new theory of
involvement and intrusion on the part of their digital media in interpersonal communication,”
parents’ lives. On the other hand, parents perceive having technology answers the demand of people in
this as a loss of connection to their children and an maintaining their communication with their families
inability to keep up with their children’s safety and who were far away from them. Polymedia simply
over-all health (Taylor, 2013). refers to the people’s consumption of different
communication that would seem to be affordable for
As parents, they must guide adolescence in them, for their interpersonal relationships would still
using social media accounts. In a newsletter occur and be portrayed. It’s not only internet where
magazine of “The Brown University Child and they can fulfill their social needs, but also through
Adolescent Behavior Letter (CABL)” published in the mobile phones, smartphones, or even in a telephone
year 2015, a professional psychiatrist named Aditi (Parreñas, 2005; cited in Madianou & Miller, 2012).
Hajirnis, wrote an article entitled “Social media Today, in typical urban setting, having a social
networking: Parent guidance required”, he reported media account for lower-middle class society like
that 60 percent of 13-17 years old adolescence spend Instant Messaging (IM), Yahoo!, Skype; especially
more than 2 hours a day, consuming their multiple with the help of webcam so that they can see and
social networking sites. Their most preferable social talk to their love ones and feel their presence in a
media sites as a tool for communication are Facebook short time (Madianou & Miller, 2012).
and Twitter. These new social venues may satisfy
their social needs, yet it may also lead them to In a research conducted by Dr. Florence
dangerous online activities (Hajirnis, 2015). It is Undiyaunde, she studied about the impact of social
shown in the article the several dangers of the youth media on children, adolescents and families. She
in using social media. Many Facebook users who are found out that using social media becomes a risk to
under 11 years of age are creating profiles and not adolescents more often than adults. The risks include
giving their correct date of birth. Because of this, cyberbullying and online harassment, sexting,
many children are prone in seeing, reading, and Facebook depression, and defective social
being involved in adult content and inappropriate relationship. Children spending countless hours on
behaviors. One of the greatest concerns associated the internet, spend very limited time with family and
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
friends. This weakens the family bond and limit Child & Westermann, 2013). It also helps the
interactions with actual people. These children individual to make decisions first and follow the
already missed out real interaction with different privacy rules before that person post something on
relatives which results in distorted social skills and his account (Child & Petronio, 2011).
limited real-life social network leading to social
isolation (Undiyaundeye, 2014). Although there are recent studies suggesting
that social media involvement creates a gap between
Aside from satisfying social gratification, the relationship of parents and their children, there
social media can also be a tool for the parents to are also studies that assert the benefits of having
maintain their communication with their children similar communication channels in a parent-child
through adding or following them into their different relationship. In a study entitled “Dad Doesn't Text:
social network accounts: but this seems to be more Examining How Parents' Use of Information
difficult for them, as adolescence nowadays often Communication Technologies Influences Satisfaction
custom or private their videos, photos and statuses Among Emerging Adult Children,” Schon (2014)
they post on their accounts; they will just select found out that connection via phone, email and social
people who have permission to see what they post on media websites can boost relationship satisfaction. In
their sites. Jeffrey Child and David Westermann this study, the researchers recruited 367 participants
indicated in their research entitled “Let’s be between the ages of 18 and 29. The participants
Facebook Friends: Exploring Parental Facebook completed a survey that asked them about how they
Friend Requests from a Communication Privacy communicated with their parents, how often they
Management (CPM) Perspective” published in 2012, used technology and how satisfied they were with the
they gathered 235 participants in this study with relationship that they had with their parents.
their biological parents or parental figure (i.e, Communication channels included phones, cell
guardian) that requested to add them on Facebook. phones, texting, instant messaging, Snapchat, email,
90.2% of young adults think that their biological video chat, social networking website and online
father or father figure, while as 94% of young adults gaming sites. Overall, the average number of
think about their biological mother or mother figure. communication channels that the participants used
They conducted this study to assess the relationship with their parents was three. For each additional
that young adults have with their parental authority form of communication that adult children used with
to determine how young people would respond to their parents, there was an increase in their
their parent’s friend requests (Hawk et.al, 2009; relationship satisfaction level. The team added that
Petronio, 1994; cited in Child & Westermann, 2013). parents who have basic communication competency,
The widespread popularity of Facebook dominated which is the ability to speak clearly with their
young adults ages 18-22 to connect with their close children, had better relationship satisfaction and
friends and acquaintances (Pempek, Yermolayeva & might not necessarily benefit from adding more
Calvert, 2009; cited in Child & Westermann, 2013). communication channels. However, other parents
Parents who send friend request in their young adult could improve their relationship with their adult
children may see it as a privilege for them to have an children by adding more forms of communication. In
access on their child’s account. But for young adults, addition, Schon (2014) said, “If you are only using
they see it as a threat as they feel difficulty on how to one or two technologies to communicate, adding a
respond to accept the request of their parents third might hit the sweet spot for relationship
(Petronio & Jones, 2006; Petronio, Jones & Moore, satisfaction. If you realize you are not the best
2003; cited in Child & Westermann, 2013). It is a communicator and you don't have the best
dilemma for them to add their parents or parental relationship with your child, adding another channel,
figure on Facebook because they think that they will such as Facebook or email, might improve the
just invade their privacy of sharing information they relationship.” Furthermore, there is a study by Khan
want. The Computer Privacy Management theory (2011) entitled, “Duration of Adolescent Technology
(CPM) simply explains the benefit of having an Use and Closeness with Parents” that found out that
effective management of their private accounts, as there are no significant correlations between total
this protects the ownership rights of the person on hours spent on technology such as cell phones,
the information that she has and everything that the videogames, and computers per day and closeness to
person posts on Facebook (Petronio, 2002; cited in parents.
Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017
5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS media-and-digital-stats-in-the-philippines-
2016-wearesocial-data/
The researchers of this study would like to Child, J. & Westermann, D. (2013). Let’s be facebook
express their sincere gratitude to those people who friends: exploring parental facebook friend request
helped and supported them behind the success of this from a communication privacy management (cpm)
paper for this to have a good quality. At this time, perspective. School of Communication Studies, Kent
they want to express their deep appreciation to their State University. Journal of Family Communication,
psychology department Director, Mr.Philip Cuizon, 13: 46–59, 2013 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group,
for continuously encouraging and motivating them LLC ISSN: 1526-7431 print / 1532-7698 online DOI:
from the very beginning to conduct this study 10.1080/15267431.2012.742089
entitled “A Correlational Study on Social Media Child, J., & Petronio, S. (2011). Unpacking the
Involvement and Parental Relationship among paradoxes of privacy in CMC relationships:
Students of Asia Pacific College”. They would also The challenges of blogging and relational
like to express their sincere gratitude to their communication on the internet. New York,
adviser, Ms. Leonora J. Brazil, for her patience, NY: Peter Lang
understanding and for sharing her knowledge and
time with them to construct this paper. Aside from Eshleman, J. (1997 ). The Family: An Introduction.
that, they would like to thank their beloved panel for 8th ed. . Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and
giving their suggestions and ideas that became very Bacon Inc. .
helpful for the good quality of their paper. The
researchers also express their sincere gratitude to all Farber, N. (2016, April 10). 10 Things to Know about
the professors who agreed to them to borrow their Parent-Child Relationships. Retrieved from
time (class hours): through their help, gathering a https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-
pool of respondents (sample) for their study became blame-game/201604/10-things-know-about-
possible. Lastly, researchers would also like to parent-child-relationships
express their gratitude to their family and friends
who are always there to support and motivate them, Gregorio, J. (2013). Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends
especilly during the time that they needed their help to Watch Out This 2014. Retrieved from
for their data gathering. http://digitalmarketingphilippines.com/top-
10-digital-marketing-trends-to-watch-out-
this-2014-infographic/
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Presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
June 20 to 22, 2017