Parents of Children Aged 3-6NCT07706738
DIGITAL FOOTPRINT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PARENTS
A study testing Digital Footprint Education Program for Parents in people with Parents of Children Aged 3-6, run by Akdeniz University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
In today's digitalized world, children conduct a significant portion of their learning experiences through online environments. However, a lack of digital awareness among parents can adversely affect both children's privacy and their educational development. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Parents of Children Aged 3-6
- What is being tested?
- Digital Footprint Education Program for Parents
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 79 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 15 Mar 2026to 15 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Being the parent of a child enrolled in kindergarten,
- The parent uses social media
- The parent uses WhatsApp
- The parent is literate
- The parent can speak and understand Turkish
Who cannot join
- The parent has a diagnosed psychiatric or mental disorder.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: YOUR CHILD'S DIGITAL IDENTITY IS SHAPED BY YOUR FINGERSTIPS: EFFECTIVENESS OF A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PARENTS
In today's digitalized world, children conduct a significant portion of their learning experiences through online environments. However, a lack of digital awareness among parents can adversely affect both children's privacy and their educational development. To address this issue, this study aims to support children's development within a conscious, safe, and ethical digital learning environment by educating parents on digital footprints, online safety, and responsible sharing. Children, who are not yet capable of constructing their own digital identities, have their virtual personas shaped at an early age by their parents' online behavior. This unmonitored digital exposure can compromise a child's sense of privacy and negatively impact their self-development, self-esteem, and social identity formation. Prioritizing the best interests of the child, this project introduces a parent education program designed to empower families in digital literacy and establish an indirect protective framework throughout the educational process.
Read the detailed description
Digital footprints represent the permanent traces that individuals leave behind in online environments, either consciously or unconsciously. Today, social media stands out as one of the platforms where these footprints are most intensively generated. As one of the most active user groups on social media, parents frequently share photos, videos, and personal information about their children, directly impacting their privacy, digital safety, and psychosocial development. Furthermore, this behavior creates a negative role model, leading children to adopt unconscious digital habits from their parents. This unmonitored exposure increases the likelihood of children facing risks such as abuse, cyberbullying, and labeling in digital spaces, thereby threatening their psychosocial safety within school and learning environments.At this juncture, enhancing parents' digital awareness is critically important for both ensuring children's online safety and safeguarding their healthy development throughout the educational process. Designed within this framework, this project introduces a parent education program that prioritizes the best interests of the child, empowers families in digital literacy, and serves as an indirect protective shield in the educational process. In this regard, the study closely aligns with children's academic and psychosocial development goals by both contributing to family education and enhancing the safety of educational environments. The "Digital Footprint Education Program," developed within this scope, aims to raise parents' awareness regarding social media and online sharing practices, while enabling them to cultivate attitudes that protect their children's digital identity and privacy.
- Conditions
- Parents of Children Aged 3-6
- Being tested
- Digital Footprint Education Program for Parents
- Keywords
- child, digital footprint, sharenting, nurse
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital Footprint Education Program for ParentsBehavioural
Also called DFEP
A review of the literature reveals a paucity of research focusing on children aged 3-6, with existing scholarship predominantly centered on primary school students and older cohorts. Implemented with the parents of children aged 3-6 within the intervention group, this educational program aims to favorably modulate the digital footprints of this specific age bracket and safeguard their digital identities. In this regard, the intervention diverges significantly from extant literature.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Active comparator | The startup group was given training as part of the digital footprint training program. Receives: Behavioral: Digital Footprint Education Program for Parents |
| control group | No intervention | No action was taken against this group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sharenting scale
The Sharenting Scale is a 17-item instrument designed to assess parental sharenting behaviors. The scale comprises four subscales: sharing behavior, social comparison behavior, positive feedback effect, and negative feedback effect. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and the items in the social comparison behavior and negative feedback effect subscales are reverse scored. Total scores range from 17 to 85, with higher scores indicating greater levels of sharenting behaviors.
Measured: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
Secondary outcomes (2)
Social Media Addiction Scale
The Social Media Addiction Scale is a 13-item instrument designed to assess the level of social media addiction in adults. The scale includes three subscales: functional impairment, preference for virtual life, and virtual pleasure. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 13 to 65, with higher scores indicating greater levels of social media addiction.
Measured: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
Brief Self-Control Scale
The Brief Self-Control Scale is a 13-item self-report instrument designed to assess self-control. The scale consists of two subscales: self-discipline and impulsivity. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all like me) to 5 (very much like me). Nine items are reverse scored. Total scores range from 13 to 65, with higher scores indicating greater levels of self-control.
Measured: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jul 2026
- Study start15 Mar 2026
- Primary completion15 Apr 2026
- Study completion15 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Parents of Children Aged 3-6Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 79 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Şeyma Emsal Şen, Akdeniz University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07706738
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- sesen
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Sarkadi A, Dahlberg A, Fangstrom K, Warner G. Children want parents to ask for permission before 'sharenting'. J Paediatr Child Health. 2020 Jun;56(6):981-983. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14945. No abstract available.
PubMed 32567783Steinberg, S. (2017). Sharenting: Children's privacy in the age of social media. Emory Law Journal, 66(4), 839-884.
Talukdar, N. (2020). The adverse effects of family vlogging on children. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 7(1), 749-756.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- YOUR CHILD'S DIGITAL IDENTITY IS SHAPED BY YOUR FINGERSTIPS: EFFECTIVENESS OF A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PARENTS
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07706738
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- sesen
- Conditions
- Parents of Children Aged 3-6
- Keywords
- child, digital footprint, sharenting, nurse
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 79 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Akdeniz UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In today's digitalized world, children conduct a significant portion of their learning experiences through online environments. However, a lack of digital awareness among parents can adversely affect both children's privacy and their educational development. To address this issue, this study aims to support children's development within a conscious, safe, and ethical digital learning environment by educating parents on digital footprints, online safety, and responsible sharing. Children, who are not yet capable of constructing their own digital identities, have their virtual personas shaped at an early age by their parents' online behavior. This unmonitored digital exposure can compromise a child's sense of privacy and negatively impact their self-development, self-esteem, and social identity formation. Prioritizing the best interests of the child, this project introduces a parent education program designed to empower families in digital literacy and establish an indirect protective framework throughout the educational process.
Detailed description
Digital footprints represent the permanent traces that individuals leave behind in online environments, either consciously or unconsciously. Today, social media stands out as one of the platforms where these footprints are most intensively generated. As one of the most active user groups on social media, parents frequently share photos, videos, and personal information about their children, directly impacting their privacy, digital safety, and psychosocial development. Furthermore, this behavior creates a negative role model, leading children to adopt unconscious digital habits from their parents. This unmonitored exposure increases the likelihood of children facing risks such as abuse, cyberbullying, and labeling in digital spaces, thereby threatening their psychosocial safety within school and learning environments.At this juncture, enhancing parents' digital awareness is critically important for both ensuring children's online safety and safeguarding their healthy development throughout the educational process. Designed within this framework, this project introduces a parent education program that prioritizes the best interests of the child, empowers families in digital literacy, and serves as an indirect protective shield in the educational process. In this regard, the study closely aligns with children's academic and psychosocial development goals by both contributing to family education and enhancing the safety of educational environments. The "Digital Footprint Education Program," developed within this scope, aims to raise parents' awareness regarding social media and online sharing practices, while enabling them to cultivate attitudes that protect their children's digital identity and privacy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Digital Footprint Education Program for ParentsThe startup group was given training as part of the digital footprint training program. |
| control group | No intervention | –No action was taken against this group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Being the parent of a child enrolled in kindergarten,
- The parent uses social media
- The parent uses WhatsApp
- The parent is literate
- The parent can speak and understand Turkish
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- The parent has a diagnosed psychiatric or mental disorder.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Footprint Education Program for ParentsAlso: DFEPA review of the literature reveals a paucity of research focusing on children aged 3-6, with existing scholarship predominantly centered on primary school students and older cohorts. Implemented with the parents of children aged 3-6 within the intervention group, this educational program aims to favorably modulate the digital footprints of this specific age bracket and safeguard their digital identities. In this regard, the intervention diverges significantly from extant literature. | Behavioural | Intervention group |
Primary outcome
Sharenting scale
Time frame: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
The Sharenting Scale is a 17-item instrument designed to assess parental sharenting behaviors. The scale comprises four subscales: sharing behavior, social comparison behavior, positive feedback effect, and negative feedback effect. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and the items in the social comparison behavior and negative feedback effect subscales are reverse scored. Total scores range from 17 to 85, with higher scores indicating greater levels of sharenting behaviors.
2 secondary outcomes
Social Media Addiction Scale
Time frame: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
Brief Self-Control Scale
Time frame: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Jul 2026.
- Background: PubMed 32567783Sarkadi A, Dahlberg A, Fangstrom K, Warner G. Children want parents to ask for permission before 'sharenting'. J Paediatr Child Health. 2020 Jun;56(6):981-983. doi: 10.1111/jpc.14945. No abstract available.
- BackgroundSteinberg, S. (2017). Sharenting: Children's privacy in the age of social media. Emory Law Journal, 66(4), 839-884.
- BackgroundTalukdar, N. (2020). The adverse effects of family vlogging on children. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 7(1), 749-756.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital Footprint Education Program for Parents in people with Parents of Children Aged 3-6, run by Akdeniz University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Sharenting scale (time frame: Baseline and 15 days after the intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07706738, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 16 Jul 2026.