An Exploration of Greek Parents’ Perceptions of Early Adolescents’ Social Media Engagement: Greek Parents’ Perceptions of Adolescent Social Media Use.

Abstract

Although a global concern, research on the impact of social media on early adolescents in Greece is limited, especially from parents' perspectives. This study addresses this gap by exploring Greek parents' views on early adolescents’ social media usage. Using an exploratory, qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 parents in western Greece, and the data were thematically analysed. Results indicate that while parents acknowledge the benefits of social media, they are concerned about its effects on early adolescents’ behaviour, mental health, academic performance, and linguistic skills. Parents view early adolescents as highly impressionable, and they feel unprepared to manage social media influences due to a lack of relevant information and education. Understanding these parental perspectives can guide the development of support services to enhance digital wellbeing among families.