The Influence of Parenting Patterns on Smartphone Addiction Among Children of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Abstract

In the era of globalization and digital technology development, smartphone usage has become an integral part of daily life, including in the context of child-rearing. This research aims to explore the influence of smartphone use on parenting patterns and smartphone addiction levels among Indonesian migrant workers' children at the Indonesian Elementary School in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The study involved 76 parents and 3 teachers as respondents. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires, then analyzed using descriptive and inferential methods. The results show that the majority of children use smartphones with frequencies of very often (19%), often (7%), quite often (37%), and rarely (37%), but parental supervision of smartphone use still includes some families in the categories of not supervising (5%), moderately supervising (18%), often supervising (7%), and very closely supervising (70%). The level of parental awareness about the importance of monitoring also varies, with most still lacking awareness of the negative impacts of uncontrolled smartphone use. Pearson correlation analysis shows a significant relationship between effective parenting patterns, such as monitoring and providing alternative activities, with the frequency of smartphone use by children. These findings underscore the importance of a balanced and proactive parenting approach in managing smartphone use to prevent addiction and other negative impacts on children.