Risk's perception of the minors regarding the use of technologies: influence of different variables

Resumo

In today’s knowledge-based society, digital tools are integrated into our lives from an early age, with the potential consequences that they may have on child development and the impact they can have during adolescence. The aim of this research is to examine the perception of risks related to the problematic use of ICTs by school-aged minors, as well as the influence that various sociodemographic variables of the parents and the ownership or frequency of mobile device use may have. A quantitative methodology was employed, with a questionnaire was administered to a sample of 273 students from three different provinces of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain). The results reveal a medium-low perception of risks, a significant relationship with the educational level of the primary caregivers, and interesting associations, such as the connection between owning mobile phones and sexting, or the amount of daily usage with addiction-related issues. Based on the findings, it is concluded that it is crucial to educate both schoolchildren and parents/guardians about the existing dangers and how to prevent them through parental mediation and media literacy.