Language barrier drives stricter digital rules for immigrant parents

<p><strong>Background</strong></p><p>While individual characteristics and social contexts are known to shape parenting behaviors, their influence on parental digital mediation remains underexplored. This study investigates how these factors, with a specific focus on parental self-efficacy, affect strategies for digital mediation among parents in Sweden.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong></p><p>Baseline data were drawn from an ongoing evaluation of a parental support program in a municipality in western Sweden. Questionnaires were distributed to parents of children aged 3, 6, 9, and 14 through preschools and schools. A total of 181 parents participated. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U-tests and logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results</strong></p><p>The findings reveal significant associations between digital mediation strategies and both native language and parental support networks. Non-native speaking parents reported higher levels of active (p = .02), restrictive (p &lt; .001), and overprotective mediation (p &lt; .001). Parents expressing a need for parental support, as well as those engaged with institutional networks, also reported significantly higher levels of overprotective mediation (p = .008, respective p = .035). Parental self-efficacy showed weak but significant positive associations with all three mediation strategies: active (β = .46, p &lt; .001), restrictive (β = .42, p &lt; .001), and overprotective (β = .31, p &lt; .001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p><p>The study highlights the role of individual and social factors in shaping how parents mediate their children's digital media use. Language background, support networks, and parental self-efficacy all influence mediation strategies. Overprotective mediation, as a risk factor, was high among parents engaged with institutional networks as well as with parents who had not expressed a need for parental support. These findings stress the importance of addressing both personal and contextual aspects when developing equitable parenting interventions.</p><p><strong>Key messages</strong></p><p>• Digital parental mediation is shaped by individual and social factors with implications for equitable public health interventions.</p><p>• Parents with non-Swedish language background and limited social network support access engage in more intense digital mediation.</p>