Discrepancies Between Parent and Child Reports of Social Media Use Among 8- to 12-Year-Olds in a Primary Care Setting

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Social media and digital device use are increasingly common among children, and there is growing concern over their impact on health and development. Although parental awareness is vital for safe media habits, little is known about discrepancies in parent-child reporting among younger children. This study aimed to examine these discrepancies and assess how parent demographics influence digital awareness. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 221 parent-child dyads (children aged 8–12 years) at a large urban pediatric clinic. The inclusion criteria were children aged 8–12 years presenting for routine care with a consenting parent or guardian. Parents and children completed parallel questionnaires assessing device ownership, screen time, nighttime use, and social media behaviors. Discrepancy analyses were performed using McNemar and paired t tests. Logistic regression evaluated predictors of parent-child agreement. RESULTS Significant discrepancies emerged in reports of social media account ownership (74.5% child vs 44.3% parent, P < .001) and nighttime device use (61.5% vs 32.1%, P < .001). Higher parental education and income were associated with greater awareness. Agreement on digital behaviors was lowest among 11-year-olds and varied significantly by parent education and income. CONCLUSIONS Large gaps in parental awareness of digital behaviors exist even among preadolescent children aged 8–12 years. This younger age group is underrepresented in digital media research. Pediatric primary care offers a critical opportunity to improve parental digital literacy and guide safe media use, particularly for families with lower education and income levels.