Examining the Relationship Between Parental Self-Efficacy Levels and Social Media Use of Parents of Children Attending Kindergarten

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between social media use and parental self-efficacy levels among parents of children attending preschool. The findings reveal that social media use among parents is generally low, while parental self-efficacy levels are high. The individual and social outcomes of social media use, as well as the emotional impacts of restricted access to social media, negatively affect parental self-efficacy perceptions. The time spent on social media does not have a direct impact on parental self-efficacy, but the quality of social media use is associated with self-efficacy levels. The results emphasize the importance of parents managing the effects of social media use on their parenting practices. Employed parents were found to use social media more frequently and reported higher levels of parental self-efficacy. Factors such as education level and the child's gender did not show significant differences. These findings highlight the need for parents to manage their social media habits consciously and remain aware of its individual and social impacts. The study suggests developing educational programs to enhance parents' awareness of social media and support their self-efficacy in parenting. It also calls for more comprehensive and larger-scale studies to better understand the relationship between social media use and parenting practices.