THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON FAMILY COMMUNICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN URBAN FAMILIES IN VIETNAM
THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON FAMILY COMMUNICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN URBAN FAMILIES IN VIETNAM

Summary/Abstract: Objectives. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has tested people's adaptability, resulting in significant changes in human habits. Notably, the Internet use and the family communication have been profoundly affected. This study aims to assess the differences between the parents and the children in their levels of Internet use, its consequences on parent-child communication during the pandemic, and offers suggestions for improving the parent-child communication in the time of crisis. Material and methods. This study was conducted through a survey of 464 parents and children dyads in three major cities of Vietnam. We utilized the one-way ANOVA to analyze the variance measuring the differences in Internet usage and family communication time between parents and children, and examine the differing assessments of the Internet impact on family communication in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results. The results indicate that COVID-19 increased both the time spent using the Internet and communicating in the family. Parents and children reported a relatively high level of satisfaction with communication. While there was no statistically a significant difference in how parents and children assessed the positive impact of the Internet on the family communication, parents rated the negative impact higher than the children did. Conclusions. The research findings offer a unique perspective on the relationship between the Internet use and the family communication within a specific social contex. The study lays a crucial foundation for advocating the development and the implementation of the effective solutions for Internet use and communication, ensuring the sustainable family dynamics even in times of crisis or uncertainty.

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