Orig. title: KiDiCoTi: Kids’ Digital Lives in Covid-19 Times: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study on Digital Practices, Safety and Wellbeing Key findings from Ireland
Engl. transl.: KiDiCoTi: Kids’ Digital Lives in Covid-19 Times: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study on Digital Practices, Safety and Wellbeing Key findings from Ireland
Keywords
ddigital practices
internet safety
well-being
children
parents
Covid's time
Publication details
| Year: | 2021 |
| Issued: | 2021 |
| Language: | English |
| Editors: | |
| Authors: | Milosevic T.; Laffan D.; O'Higgins Norman J. |
| Type: | Short report |
| Topics: | Internet usage, practices and engagement; Wellbeing; Risks and harms |
| Sample: | 1008 respondents including 504 parents and 504 children and young people. This was an online panel with participants across Ireland. Note that even though quotas or population characteristics were not used and so the sample cannot be characterised as nationally representative. Nonetheless, this is a national sample: It is regionally balanced (NUTS 3 level for Ireland); with children across the target age group being evenly distributed across the sample (target age for children: 11-18). |
| Implications For Parents About: | Parental practices / parental mediation |
Abstract
"DCU’s National Anti-Bullying Research
and Resource Centre in partnership with
the Joint Research Centre of the European
Commission undertook a study on the
experiences of Irish children and families
during the Covid-19 lockdown. Fifteen
European countries, including Ireland,
participated in the study.
2 The goal of this
research is to understand how children and
parents engaged with digital technology
while staying at home and how these
experiences may have impacted children’s
online safety and overall family wellbeing.
In Ireland, over one thousand participants
(504 parents and 504 children and young
people) completed an online survey that
asked about exposure to online risks such as
cyberbullying and harmful content online
3;
digital technology use-related habits; use
of digital technology for school purposes;
parental worries regarding technology
use; but also the positive aspects of digital
media use for the family, such as the
acquisition of digital skills"
Outcome
28% of 10-18-year old children in the sample reported to have been victims of cyberbullying
during lockdown, while 50% reported to have seen others being cyberbullied (bystander
role). The younger in age they were the more likely they were to have been victims of
cyberbullying. Overall, 49% of males experienced significantly more frequent cyberbullying
since lockdown.
The majority of children know how to join conference calls: 71% of children say that it is
true or very true of them that they know how to join a video conference via Skype, Zoom, etc.
50% of all children reported having significantly less schoolwork (school hours and
homework) since the lockdown as compared to before the lockdown. 55% of children aged
10-13 say they received significantly less schoolwork/ hours compared to other age-groups
during lockdown.
A significant portion of parents reported an increased level of worry over their children’s Internet and digital media use during lockdown. 57% of parents said they were worried or very worried that the coronavirus situation would have a negative impact on their child’s education (falling behind in schoolwork, failing in exams etc.). 58% of parents reported being more or much more worried during the lockdown than before, about
excessive Internet and digital technology use, such as their child spending too much time
playing games, watching videos or on social media