Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Partircia Mc Gee

Abstract

Adolescents now have greater access to digital resources and spaces and are more likely to engage in risky online behaviors for which they are unprepared. The study's purpose was to examine the little-understood online behaviors of adolescents to better educate and prepare them for safe online interactions. The study was framed by two theories: digital citizenship— the ability to engage in digital environments competently and responsibly, and problem behavior theory—an understanding of what encourages problem behavior. This research asked if there was a relationship between adolescents’ digital citizenship and online risk behaviors using a quantitative correlational design. Teachers from three private secondary schools that did not offer digital citizenship education collected data using the Five-Factor Digital Citizenship Scale to measure digital citizenship and the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale to measure online risk behaviors from a sample size of N = 597 students. After data were shared with the researcher, they were analyzed using Pearson’s r correlation coefficient and descriptive statistics to describe the scores’ mean, standard deviation, and variance. Results revealed no correlation between digital citizenship and adolescents’ online risk behaviors, although adolescents reported moderate knowledge or application of digital citizenship and online risk behavior related activities. Further research is needed to examine other variables. Stakeholders can use the results to inform their decisions about appropriate online choices, home and curriculum programs, tools, and policies to advance social change in the digital community.

Download

Share

 
COinS