Digital socialisation and parental mediation in the digital activities of children with disabilities

Introduction. This article investigates the factors influencing digital socialisation and their relationship with digital parental mediation strategies, within the context of educating children with disabilities. The relevance of this work arises from the limited existing research on digital socialisation for this specific category of pupils, combined with the acknowledged, pivotal role of parents and the pervasive digitalisation of contemporary society. Aim . This study aims to identify and analyse the structure of factors affecting the digital socialisation of children with disabilities, and to establish the correlations between these factors and parental mediation strategies. Methodology and research methods . The study is grounded in the cultural-historical approach of L. S. Vygotsky and the socio-cognitive concept of digital socialisation developed by G. U. Soldatova and A. E. Voiskunsky. The empirical component involved an online survey employing an adapted version of the “Digital Parental Mediation Questionnaire” alongside an author-designed questionnaire to evaluate factors influencing digital socialisation. The sample comprised parents of schoolchildren with impairments in intelligence, hearing, vision, or speech (n = 419), as well as a control group of parents of typically developing peers (n = 77). Results and scientific novelty. Factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure of digital socialisation: the child’s digital competence index, the parent’s digital competence index, the educational and social value factor of the digital environment, and the individual-personal factor. It was established that the strongest associations were observed between the components of the educational and social value factor of the digital environment and all mediation strategies. The weakest correlation was recorded between the individual-personal factor and control strategies. Practical significance. The findings of the study can be applied to the development of advanced training programmes for teachers and the psychological and pedagogical support of children with disabilities. They can also be used to optimise the planning of educational activities, taking into account the identified factors of digital socialisation.