Date of Award:

8-2025

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Computer Science

Committee Chair(s)

Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Committee

Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Committee

John Edwards

Committee

Mario Harper

Committee

Steve Petruzza

Committee

Kristin Searle

Abstract

Parental control apps are often used by families to regulate children's device usage and keep them safe online. However, existing tools focus on monitoring and restricting children, which can lead to tension and mistrust within families. This research takes a new approach by exploring how parental control apps can be redesigned to support positive family values, like encouraging open communication between parents and children and helping children self-regulate their behaviors. Through four in-depth studies, this dissertation looks at how these values play out in different real-life situations. It includes families with children on the autism spectrum, divorced households where parents may not always agree, developmentally age-appropriate designs, and field deployment in real-world contexts. Each study helps us better understand what families need from these apps and how we can design them to fit those needs. For example, parents of autistic children may benefit from apps that offer more structure and use simple, clear language. Divorced parents may need tools that help them coordinate rules or share responsibilities. And children of different ages need different kinds of support; what works for a 6-year-old would not work for a teenager. To sum up, this research shows that good parental control apps are not just about limiting device usage; they are about building trust, reducing conflict, and empowering both parents and children to grow together in the digital age.

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