The effect of Internet-Specific Parenting Practices on the Intensity of Social Media Use of Dutch Adolescents: The Moderating Role of FoMO

Abstract

Previous studies have investigated the effect of internet-specific parenting practices on problematic social media use. However, it is unknown whether internet-specific parenting practices – specifically internet-specific rule-setting (ISRS) and reactive restrictions (RR) –can decrease social media use intensity (SMU intensity). Therefore, this longitudinal study investigated the relationship between ISRS and RR on SMU intensity among Dutch adolescents. Additionally, the moderating role of Fear of Missing Out on these relationships was examined. Data from the Digital Youth Project (DiYo), in which adolescents participated in a questionnaire study conducted at secondary schools, were used. This study included two measurement waves with a 1-year interval between waves. The final sample consisted of 1327 participants between ages 11 and 17 years old, with a mean age of 13.61 years (SD = 1.18). Results showed that ISRS significantly predicted a decrease in SMU intensity over time, whereas no significant effect was found for RR. FoMO did not significantly moderate the relationship between both these internet-specific parenting practices and SMU intensity. These findings highlight the complexity of managing adolescents' social media use and suggest that while parental rule-setting can be effective, this does not seem to be the case for in-the-moment restrictions. Further research is needed to explore additional moderating variables and develop comprehensive strategies for reducing excessive social media use among adolescents.