| The purpose of this research was to explore mothers' attitudes about the risks and benefits of adolescent Internet use (AIU) for communication in relation to adolescent access to the various communications components of the Internet as well as mothers' subsequent management of such use. Nineteen mothers of early adolescents participated in qualitative interviews regarding adolescent Internet use and mothers' regulation and monitoring of such use. Three maternal profiles emerged based on mothers' attitudes about the risks and benefits of AIU for communication: high affect risk oriented (HARO), low affect risk oriented (LARO), and benefit oriented (BO). Group membership shaped mothers' willingness to allow adolescents access to various components of the Internet as well as the strategies mothers use to maintain boundaries. |
