Do parenting styles and religious beliefs matter for child behavioral problem? The mediating role of digital literacy

Behavioral problems in children are a global issue, and it has attracted scholars in both developed and developing countries. This study aims to examine religious beliefs and parenting styles in predicting children’s behavioral problems, as well as investigate the mediating role of digital literacy to explain this relationship. This research adopted a quantitative approach based on the questionnaire provided to parents with different religious backgrounds who participated in the online survey. From a methodological perspective, we followed SEM-PLS to analyze and raise the comprehension of the phenomenon studied. The findings indicate that religious beliefs can affect authoritarian parenting styles and negatively influence digital literacy. However, religious beliefs failed in explaining children’s negative behavior. This research also notes the role of parenting style in driving children’s digital literacy and children’s behavior. Meanwhile, digital literacy does not influence children’s negative behavior. This study provides a sharpening of previous research on the theme of religious beliefs and parenting styles, as well as contributes to science related to the digital literacy and behavior of children.