The rapid integration of digital technologies into adolescents' lives has amplified both opportunities for growth as well as exposure to risks. Adolescents' digital behavior patterns are a central topic in current research, requiring in-depth scholarly attention for developing develop deeper and broader understanding and designing applied coping and intervention programs. This study examined two online risk behaviors: cyberbullying (CB) and problematic internet use (PUI), from an intergenerational psychological perspective, integrating adolescents' and parents' voices to identify risk and resilience factors that shape youth online risk behaviors.
Using a mixed-methods design, two strands of research were conducted. First, semi-structured interviews with 30 adolescents aged 12-17and 30 parents, analyzed through a risk-resilience framework, revealed five interrelated factors influencing online risk involvement: social status and skills, peer and parent relationships, risk awareness, screen-time exposure, and prevention programs. These factors reflected both vulnerabilities and protective processes as experienced and interpreted by adolescents and parents. Second, a large-scale survey of 3,306 adolescents (ages 12-17) examined the psychological impact of parental involvement, parental control, and parent-child relationships on youth digital behaviors. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analyses showed that excessive parental control was associated with reduced risk awareness, while strong parent-child relationships emerged as a protective factor, predicting higher risk awareness, lower PUI, and higher resilience to cybervictimization. By combining qualitative insights with large-scale quantitative evidence, this study highlights the complex psychological mechanisms underlying adolescent online risks relating to parental influences.
The findings point to the translation of theory into practice through the development of evidence-based programs that empower both youth and parents in navigating online challenges. Implications are discussed for applied psychology, including the development of interventions that strengthen intergenerational communication, enhance parental guidance, and support healthier digital environments for youth.