Socio-economic and Educational Predictors of Parental Media mediation in Morocco: a Mixed Approach Study

Abstract

As digital devices become part of Moroccan households, parents have found themselves forced to navigate how they govern their children’s screen time. This study investigates the parental mediation strategies used in Morocco and analyzes how educational level and household income shape these preferences. Drawing on a survey of 274 parents across Morocco, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, post-hoc ANOVA, and linear regression models, in addition to a semi structure interview with 20 parents. The findings show a clear preference for restrictive mediation (M = 3.16), which parents rely on it significantly more than instructive (M = 2.94, p = .015) or cooperative approaches (M = 2.81, p < .001). Regression models further highlight that digital parenting style is strongly linked to socio-economic status. Higher levels of parental education consistently drive greater involvement across all mediation types, with postgraduate degree holders showing the most pronounced engagement in instructive and cooperative strategies compared to parents with primary education (p < .0001). In contrast, an absence of formal education negatively predicts both cooperative and restrictive practices. Income follows a similar trend, as households earning between 5,000 and 20,000 MAD (500$ and 2000$) demonstrate significantly higher participation across mediation styles than those earning under 5,000 MAD (500$) (p < .01). Ultimately, these patterns reveal a significant socio-economic divide in how digital parenting is practiced in Morocco, suggesting that future media literacy frameworks and school-based interventions must move away from standardized models to address these underlying demographic disparities.