Children’s motivation for digital technology use: parents and children’s perspective

Abstract

Since the use of digital technology (DT) has become a significant part of children’s everyday life, one of the main questions is why and for what purposes children use DT. This paper aims to explore categories of motivation for DT use among Croatian children aged 9 to 15 years, and their rate of occurrence, from the perspective of children (18 boys; 13 girls; average age = 11) and their parents (3 fathers; 28 mothers). Focus groups with children as well as their parents were conducted online via Zoom, in spring 2021. Results show that both children and their parents state following motives for children’s use of DT: fun and entertainment, interaction and communication, relaxation, and rest, learning and seeking information. Furthermore, children, but not their parents, state as their motives time pass and boredom, and Fear of Missing Out. This research contributes to a better understanding of the reasons why children use DT, provides a taxonomy of motives, and shows that children’s motives for DT use are universal to different life circumstances.