Diagnostics of parent-child relations in the digital environment: a review of modern methods and directions for adaptation
Abstract
Background. The digital transformation of society has significantly changed the context of family upbringing and parent-child relationships. Digital devices, social media, online education, and gaming platforms have introduced new forms of parent-child interaction and transformed traditional practices of control, support, and autonomy. Consequently, classical diagnostic methods require revision and adaptation to digital reality. Aim. This paper provides a systematic review of modern diagnostic techniques for parent-child relationships, identifies their limitations within the framework of digital socialization, and proposes directions for the adaptation of existing instruments. Theoretical Basis. This study employs a theoretical and review-based approach. Publications from the past 10 years in eLibrary, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were analyzed using the following keywords: parent-child relationships, diagnostics, questionnaires, digital environment, digital control, digital parental control, and adaptation of methods. A comparative analysis of the 15 most common methods was performed (questionnaires, projective techniques, and scales). Results. Three groups of methods were identified: 1) traditional parenting style questionnaires that do not account for the digital context; 2) specialized scales for assessing digital parental control; and 3) measures of digital competence in parents and children. The study demonstrated that the majority of these instruments have not been validated on Russian samples in the digital environment. The following directions for their adaptation were formulated: the introduction of subscales for digital control, digital support, and digital autonomy; the development of parental mediation assessment methods; and the creation of screening instruments. Conclusion. This paper justifies the need for comprehensive adaptation of existing diagnostic tools. The theoretical significance of this work lies in systematizing approaches to assessing parent-child relationships in the digital era. Its practical significance resides in identifying directions for developing new instruments for educational psychologists and family consultants
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