*JUDE TERNA KUR, Ph.D., **BERNARD BEM MELLADU, Ph.D., &

***QUEEN MABEL LAZARUS

Abstract

This study investigated parents’ attitudes towards children’s video game activities, strategies used to mediate the gaming activities, and relationship between attitude and mediation strategies used. The study used survey design with 384 elite parents sampled among a population of 5,211 parents of children in four purposively selected elite secondary schools in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. They were purposively selected because they were high income parents who could afford video games access for their children. Data were obtained using Parents’ Attitudes and Mediation of Children’s Video Game Play Questionnaire (PAMCVGPQ) developed by the researchers. Findings revealed that the parents studied had predominantly negative attitude towards children’s experience with video games in terms of content of the games, contacts the games bring to children, and conduct propelled by the games. The parents employed largely restrictive and active mediation strategies. Parental attitude towards children’s video game play influenced the adoption of the mediation strategies; parents with negative attitude towards children’s game play used restrictive, active and technical mediation strategies while those with positive attitude used co-play mediation strategy. The study concluded that attitude to video games is imperative in mediating children’s video game experiences. To cultivate sincere attitude towards video games, the study recommended parental involvement in video gaming and acquisition of video game literacy.

Key Words: Children, Mediation Strategies, Parental Attitude, Parental Mediation, Video Game.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 12, No. 2, October 2020, pp. 150-165

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

About the authors

*   Jude Terna Kur, Ph.D., is a Professor of Information and Media Technology and the current Head of the Department of Information and Media Technology at Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. His areas of research interest are parental mediation, ICTs and new media, and broadcast media.

**  Bernard Bem Melladu, Ph.D, is a lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria but currently on leave of absence to Benue State Government as the Executive Chairman of Benue State Local Government Service Commission, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. His research interests are in public relations, communication and society, organizational communication, and development communication. 

*** Queen Mabel Lazarus is a graduate of the Department of Information and Media Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Her area of research interest is media technologies and their impact on society.

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Article Citation

Kur, J. T., Melladu, B. B., & Lazarus, Q. M. (2020). Parental attitudes and mediation of children’s video games among elite parents in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 12 (2): 150 – 165.