How parental smartphone addiction affects adolescent smartphone addiction: The effect of the parent-child relationship and parental bonding

Abstract

Background: Adolescent smartphone addiction (ASA) has fueled concerns worldwide regarding the negative health effects. This study aimed to examine whether parental smartphone addiction (PSA) affected ASA, and evaluated the mediating role of the parent-child relationship and the moderating role of parental bonding in the effect from PSA to ASA, among a Chinese sample of parent-child pairs.

Methods: A large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted among 10- to 15-year-old students and their parents. ASA and PSA were assessed by Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI). The parent-child relationship was evaluated by Child-Parent Relationship Scale-Short Form (CPRS-SF), and parental bonding was estimated by Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Conditional process model was used to examine the relationship between PSA and ASA, as well as the mediating effect of parent-child relationship and the moderating effect of parental bonding.

Results: A total of 9515 adolescents and their parents completed the online survey. PSA significantly positively predicted ASA (B = 0.488, p < 0.001). The parent-child relationship negatively mediated the association from PSA to ASA (B = -0.321, p < 0.001). Parental overprotection moderated the indirect path from PSA to ASA through the parent-child relationship (B = -0.016, p < 0.001), but parental care had not any moderation (B = -0.005, p > 0.05). Specifically, parental overprotection had a positive moderating effect on the second half mediation path. The indirect effect of PSA on ASA through parent-child relationship was greater in higher overprotection than in lower.

Limitations: Cross-sectional study of self-administrated questionnaires.

Conclusions: Adolescents had a higher tendency toward smartphone addiction when their parents excessively used smartphones. The findings highlighted the essential role of parent-child relationship and parental bonding in the association from PSA to ASA.

Keywords: Adolescent smartphone addiction; Parent-child relationship; Parental bonding; Parental care; Parental overprotection; Parental smartphone addiction.