Parental styles and online sexual abuse prevention factors

In recent years, concern about the prevention of online sexual abuse has increased. Research has highlighted the role of parents or guardians as preventive agents, using measures of control, supervision, and emotional support with their children. However, more needs to be understood about the balance that parents should strike between supervision and emotional support. The main objective of this study was to find out if adolescents with parents who have different supervision-support profiles present differences in factors linked to the prevention of OSA (knowledge about online sexual abuse, frequency of Internet use, self-efficacy, and well-being). The Participants were 82 high school students residing in Chile who responded to a series of self-report instruments. The cluster analysis recognized three groups of adolescents (with parents with high competence in the use of technology but with different levels of support and supervision). Adolescents with competent, supportive, and supervising parents best understand the risks of the Internet and have better self-efficacy and greater well-being.