The influence of digital parenting on child development with the family environment as a moderating variable at Islamic elementary schools

Abstract

This study addresses the influence of digital parenting on children's religious and moral, cognitive, social, and emotional development at Islamic elementary schools in Palu City, as well as the role of the family environment in moderating this influence. The study aims to analyze the direct impact of digital parenting on these four aspects of child development and to examine the moderating role of the family environment. An associative-explanatory quantitative approach was employed. The study population consisted of 1,446 parents of students from two Islamic schools. A sample of 313 parents was determined using Slovin's formula and proportional random sampling. Data collection utilized questionnaires as the primary instrument, supplemented by observation, interviews, and documentation. Data analysis used Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) in SmartPLS, including evaluation of the outer model, inner model, and bootstrapping, as well as testing direct and moderating effects. The results indicate that the measurement model met validity and reliability criteria, with outer loadings of 0.803–0.896, AVE values of 0.686–0.756, HTMT values below 0.85, and Cronbach's Alpha and Composite Reliability values above 0.70. For the inner model, VIF values ranged from 1.001 to 1.002, Adjusted R² from 0.512 to 0.553, and Q² from 0.349 to 0.389, indicating moderate explanatory power and good predictive relevance. Digital parenting had a positive and significant influence on religious and moral (β=0.668; p<0.001), cognitive (β=0.613; p<0.001), social (β=0.641; p<0.001), and emotional (β=0.597; p<0.001) development. The family environment does not have a direct, significant effect on the four aspects of child development; however, its interaction with digital parenting has a positive and significant impact on religious and moral values ​​(β=0.305), cognitive (β=0.347), social (β=0.299), and emotional (β=0.371) aspects all with p<0.001. Thus, the family environment reinforces the influence of digital parenting, establishing a pattern of pure moderation. The study's implications underscore the importance of communication, guidance, supervision, and a conducive family environment in digital parenting. Parents need to enhance their digital parenting literacy, and schools should strengthen collaboration and digital literacy with families. At the same time, the government can use these findings as a basis for developing family-based digital parenting education programs.