The Influence of Parental Control and Parent-Child Relational Qualities on Adolescent Internet Addiction: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong

Association Between Parental Problematic Internet Use and Adolescent Depression

We examined the association between parental problematic internet use (PIU) and adolescent depression and whether this association varied based on internet-related rules. We recruited adolescents ages 13-18 and their parent using national Qualtrics panels (N = 4592 dyads). Measures included the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS-3), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the internet specific parenting practice scale (ISPPS). Parental PIU was associated with symptoms of adolescent depression, including suicidal ideation, even when controlling for adolescent PIU (β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.32, 0.38]). Time-related rules moderated this association in a non-linear way where the association was strongest when time-related rules were unclear / mid-range. The moderation effect was linear for content-related rules, where stricter rules were associated with a weaker association between parent PIU and adolescent depression. Results support clinicians assessing parent PIU when treating depressed adolescents and engaging parents in monitoring their adolescents' internet use content.

A Psychometric Examination of the Abbreviated Version of the Parenting Styles Scale Using a Sample of Chilean Adolescents

Parenting styles have been related to a series of variables that contribute positively to adulthood. The maternal and paternal parenting styles scale is a measure that presents a multidimensional structure of six correlated factors. However, the version available for Chile is extensive, with 82 items measuring this latent trait. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the reliability and validity of the abbreviated version of the maternal and paternal parenting styles scale using a sample of Chilean adolescents. The sample consisted of 2131 students of both the male and female sexes (51% males and 49% females) with a mean age of 15.85 years (SD = 1.37). The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the six-factor correlated model, showing robust psychometric indices for both modelling approaches. In relation to the factorial invariance models, the results show factorial equivalence at the scalar invariance level for the variables of sex, age, academic achievement, and type of school. The scale showed adequate levels of reliability. This study concludes that the abbreviated version of the maternal and paternal parenting styles scale is a reliable and valid instrument for its application in Chilean adolescents.

Examining the association of family environment and children emotional/behavioral difficulties in the relationship between parental anxiety and internet addiction in youth

Introduction

Associations between parental anxiety and adolescent internet addiction have been documented in the literature; however, few studies have analyzed the role of the family environment in this relationship. This study aims to explore the relationship between parental anxiety and adolescent internet addiction while also investigating the indirect relationships involving multiple dimensions of the family environment and child emotional behavior issues.

Methods

Surveys were conducted among 6,296 parent-child pairs. We administered SDQ, CIAS-R, and FES-CV to assess adolescents' issues and internet addiction, and evaluate family environment. Additionally, parents completed GAD-7 to assess parental anxiety levels.Results: Correlation analysis revealed that the family environment and adolescent emotional behavior issues played an indirect relationship in the link between parental anxiety and internet addiction.

Discussion

The findings emphasize the importance of addressing parental anxiety and fostering a positive family environment as effective measures to alleviate adolescent emotional behavior problems and reduce the risk of internet addiction.

Development of beliefs in a just world among Chinese early adolescents and the predictive role of family factors: A three-wave longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

This study explored how belief in a just world (BJW) develops among Chinese adolescents and the predictive role of family factors.

BACKGROUND

The development of BJW in adolescence is an important but understudied topic, especially in non-Western contexts.

METHOD

Using a three-wave longitudinal design, 1525 participants (48% girls; Mage  = 12.47) were recruited to report their BJW, childhood SES, only-child or not, and parental psychological control in Wave 1 (Wave 2: N = 1262; Wave 3: N = 1124).

RESULTS

The mean slope for personal BJW is positive and significant, but not significant for general BJW. Childhood SES predicted initial level of personal and general BJW and the rate of growth of personal BJW. Only-child predicted initial level and the growth rate of personal BJW. Parental psychological control negatively predicted personal and general BJW at three time points.

CONCLUSION

Personal BJW increased during the observation period, whereas general BJW was stable. Individuals with lower levels of childhood SES had lower initial personal and general BJW but a higher growth rate in personal BJW than those with higher SES. Individuals having siblings had lower levels of initial personal BJW but a higher growth rate in personal BJW than those from only-child family. Parental psychological control may exert consistent and contemporaneous negative effect on BJW across time.

The relationship between parenting styles and adolescent problematic Internet use: A three-level meta-analysis

Background and aims

Problematic Internet use (PIU) has become a global public health problem. It has been suggested that parenting style is associated with adolescent PIU. However, the evidence in favor of this view is mixed. Based on the PRISMA method, the present study employed three-level meta-analysis approach to investigate the relationship between these two variables and further explore potential moderators.

Methods

After a systematic search for published articles, 35 studies were included, reporting 171 effect sizes (N = 40,587).

Results

The results showed that positive parenting styles were significantly negatively related to PIU. This association was moderated by gender, age, publication year, and measurements of PIU, but was not by culture and measurements of parenting styles. Negative parenting styles were significantly positively related to PIU, which was moderated by publication year, culture, and sub-types of negative parenting, but not by gender, age, and measurements of both parenting styles and PIU. In addition, the correlation of PIU with negative parenting styles was stronger than that with positive parenting styles.

Discussion and Conclusions

The present results demonstrated that parenting styles, especially punitive parenting styles, should be attached to more important when treating adolescent PIU.

Parental control and adolescent internet addiction: the moderating effect of parent-child relationships

Introduction

The present study investigated how maternal and paternal controls, including behavioral and psychological controls, predict adolescent Internet addiction, as well as the potential moderating effects of adolescent gender and parent-child relationships on the predictions.

Methods

Data were collected from 1,974 Chinese adolescents (age range = 14-22; mean = 16.47; SD = 0.87; 1,099 girls) in Guizhou Province, mainland China in November 2021. Internet addiction was measured using the ten-item Internet Addiction Test developed by Kimberly Young, and Parental control and parent-child relationships were measured by the respective subscales derived from the validated Chinese Parent-Child Subsystem Quality Scale.

Results

Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that after the covariates were statistically controlled, both parents' behavioral controls showed significant negative predictions on adolescent Internet addiction, while their psychological control tended to positively predict Internet addiction among adolescents, although the effect was only marginal. In addition, the impacts of maternal and paternal controls were equal, and such impacts did not vary between sons and daughters. While adolescent gender was not a significant moderator, the parent-child relationship quality significantly moderated the effects of paternal behavioral control, paternal psychological control, and maternal psychological control on adolescents' Internet addiction. Specifically, the prediction of paternal behavioral control was stronger while the effect of paternal and maternal psychological control was weaker among adolescents with a positive father-child relationship than those with a moderate or poor father-child relationship.

Discussion

These findings indicate the protective function of parents' behavioral control and the negative impact of psychological control on the development of adolescent Internet addiction. Further, a positive relationship between the father and the adolescent can strengthen the positive effect of paternal behavioral control and mitigate the negative effects of both parents' psychological controls.

Association of parent-child relationship quality and problematic mobile phone use with non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSI) is a common mental health threat among adolescents. Poor parent-child relationship (PCR) and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) are risk factors for NSSI. We aimed to explore the impact of PCR quality, PMPU, and their interaction effects on NSSI among adolescents in China, as well as the sex difference.

METHOD

A survey was conducted among school students in 4 provinces in China between 2017 and 2018. The study included 14,500 valid participants. The students' general demographic characteristics was collected, and further data on PCR quality, PMPU, and NSSI were obtained through self-rated questionnaire. Chi-square test, binomial logistic regression models, and the Andersson Excel were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The 12-month prevalence of NSSI was 27.3%. Lower PCR quality and PMPU were significantly associated with NSSI, respectively. The low PCR + yes PMPU group had the greatest association with NSSI, followed by the high PCR + yes PMPU group, low PCR + no PMPU group. Moreover, in low father-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males; in high mother-child relationship + yes PMPU group, females had a higher risk of NSSI than males. Additive interaction analysis indicated that mother-child relationship quality and PMPU were associated with increased risks of NSSI, in the subgroup of males.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underline the importance of simultaneously studying the quality of PCR and PMPU for a comprehensive understanding of NSSI behavior, and especially highlights the significance of maternal relationship quality.

A latent profile transition analysis and influencing factors of internet addiction for adolescents: A short-term longitudinal study

Internet addiction for adolescent, which is widely concerned by the whole society, has become a public health problem. Internet addiction not only had a negative impact on physical and mental development of adolescents, but also was harmful to their study, life, interpersonal communication and personality formation, and so on. In recent years, the data analysis methods of longitudinal research have developed rapidly. It not only focused on the overall average growth trend, but also considered the differences in the individual trends. Latent profile transition analysis (LPTA) is an extension of latent profile analysis (LPA) and latent transition analysis (LTA), and is a longitudinal data analysis method. LPTA can simultaneously estimate group membership in multiple time points and their latent transition tendency among these subgroups between each two time points. This study used LPTA to explore the development trend of adolescent internet addiction over time and its influencing factors. 1033 adolescents participated in a short-term 6-month longitudinal study with a total of three tests. Participants completed internet addiction test, self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale. The results showed that: (1) There are three categories of adolescent internet addiction, namely non-internet addiction group, low-internet addiction group and high-internet addiction group. (2) Non-internet addiction group has a strong stability. Low-internet addiction group has a high probability to become non-internet addiction group or high-internet addiction group. (3) Boys are more likely than girls to develop into high-internet addiction group. Anxiety and depression both affect the development of adolescent internet addiction.

Children's excessive digital media use, mental health problems and the protective role of parenting during COVID-19

COVID-19's outbreak in March 2020 and the social distancing measures that followed it changed the lives of children worldwide. Studies assessing the pandemic's implications for children have reported an alarming increase in the use of digital media (DM) and warned of its adverse impacts on children's functioning and development. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between excessive and problematic DM use and emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning among Israeli adolescents during COVID-19 and to identify adolescents at elevated risk of developing problematic DM use. Three hundred forty-seven Israeli parent-child dyads (M age = 11.81, SD = 1.41) separately completed measures assessing children's DM use (time and addiction), functioning (academic, social, emotional, and behavioral), behavioral dysregulation, and the parents' parenting practices. The results showed that DM addiction, but not DM use, was related to children's emotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties. Moreover, the results indicated that negative parenting and behavioral dysregulation increased the risk of DM addiction, which in turn increased emotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties. The results underscored parents' role in preventing problematic DM use and highlighted the need to treat DM use and problematic DM use as distinct constructs.

Relapse Prevention Therapy for Problem Gaming or Internet Gaming Disorder in Swedish Child and Youth Psychiatric Clinics: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Although gaming is a common arena where children socialize, an increasing number of children are exhibiting signs of problem gaming or internet gaming disorder. An important factor to the development of problem gaming is parent-child relationships. A cognitive behavioral therapy-based form of treatment, labeled relapse prevention, has been developed as a treatment for child and adolescent problem gaming or internet gaming disorder. However, no study has evaluated the effect of this treatment among Swedish children and youth nor the role of the parent-child relationships in this treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims (1) to evaluate a relapse prevention treatment for patients showing signs of problem gaming or internet gaming disorder recruited from child and youth psychiatric clinics and (2) to test whether the quality of parent-child relationships plays a role in the effect of relapse prevention treatment and vice versa-whether the relapse prevention treatment has a spillover effect on the quality of parent-child relationships. Moreover, we explore the carer's attitudes about parent-child relationships and child gaming, as well as experiences of the treatment among the children, their carers, and the clinicians who carried out the treatment.

METHODS

This study is a 2-arm, parallel-group, early-stage randomized controlled trial with embedded qualitative components. Children aged 12-18 years who meet the criteria for problem gaming or internet gaming disorder will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either intervention (relapse prevention treatment) or control (treatment as usual), with a total of 160 (80 + 80) participants. The primary outcomes are measures of gaming and gambling behavior before and after intervention, and the secondary outcomes include child ratings of parent-child communication and family functioning. The study is supplemented with a qualitative component with semistructured interviews to capture participants' and clinicians' experiences of the relapse prevention, as well as attitudes about parent-child relationships and parenting needs in carers whose children completed the treatment.

RESULTS

The trial started in January 2022 and is expected to end in December 2023. The first results are expected in March 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will be the first randomized controlled trial evaluating relapse prevention as a treatment for child and adolescent problem gaming and internet gaming disorder in Sweden. Since problem behaviors in children interact with the family context, investigating parent-child relationships adjacent to the treatment of child problem gaming and internet gaming disorder is an important strength of the study. Further, different parties, ie, children, carers, and clinicians, will be directly or indirectly involved in the evaluation of the treatment, providing more knowledge of the treatment and its effect. Limitations include comorbidity in children with problem gaming and internet gaming disorder and challenges with the recruitment of participants.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05506384 (retrospectively registered); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05506384.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/44318.

Subjective Outcome Evaluation of Instructional Videos in Leadership Education

The aims of this study were to examine the psychometric properties of two subjective outcome evaluation tools measuring students' perceptions of 24 instructional videos and to understand the profiles of students' perceptions of the videos. Online teaching and learning played an important role when school lockdown measures were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To facilitate online teaching in a college-level leadership education subject, we developed and piloted 24 instructional videos, including 15 animated videos and 9 case-based videos, in the 2021/22 academic year. To understand students' perceptions of the videos, we developed two subjective outcome evaluation scales (one for the animated videos and another for the case-based videos) to assess the subjective perceptions of 1308 students. Results showed that the developed tools possessed good psychometric properties, including factorial, convergent and discriminant validity. The findings of this study also revealed the students had positive attitudes towards the developed videos, including positive perceptions of the videos' design and the benefits gained from watching them. The present study suggests teachers can meaningfully use the 24 instructional videos in the context of leadership education in higher education.

Parental Psychological Control and Addiction Behaviors in Smartphone and Internet: The Mediating Role of Shyness among Adolescents

Parental psychological control has been found to be a vital familial factor that is closely related to adolescents' addiction behaviors with regard to smartphones and the internet. However, the underlying mechanisms of these associations are less clear. The aim of the present study was to examine whether shyness mediated the relationships between parental psychological control and these two addiction behaviors. A positivist paradigm was used in the present study. The questionnaires (parental psychological control, shyness, and smartphone and internet addiction questionnaires) were used to collect data from a sample of 1857 Chinese adolescents (961 female, 896 male) in junior and senior middle schools. Descriptive statistics as well as correlation and mediation tests were employed to analyze the data. We observed that adolescents with siblings showed a higher level of internet addiction than those with no siblings. Moreover, three dimensions of parental psychological control were positively associated with addiction behaviors. The following analyses displayed that the correlation between authority assertion and smartphone addiction was greater than that between authority assertion and internet addiction. Subsequently, shyness was significantly positively related to parental psychological control and addiction behaviors. Importantly, we found that the relations between the three dimensions of parental psychological control and the addiction behaviors concerning smartphones and the internet were partially mediated by shyness. This study contributes to our understanding of how parental psychological control predicts high levels of adolescents' addiction behaviors surrounding smartphones and the internet.

Parental Factors Associated With Internet Gaming Disorder Among First-Year High School Students: Longitudinal Study

Background

Parents play central roles in adolescents’ socialization, behavioral development, and health, including the development of internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, longitudinal research on the parental predictors of adolescent IGD is limited.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the reciprocal associations between various parental factors and adolescent IGD using 2-wave cross-lagged models.

Methods

A sample of 1200 year-one high school students in central China completed a baseline assessment in 2018 (mean age 15.6 years; 633/1200, 52.8% male) and a follow-up survey in 2019. IGD was measured using the 9-item DSM-5 IGD Symptoms checklist. Perceptions related to parental variables, including psychological control, parental abuse, parental support, and the parent-child relationship, were also collected from the adolescents.

Results

Of all the participants, 12.4% (148/1200) and 11.7% (140/1200) were classified as having IGD at baseline (T1) and follow-up (T2), respectively. All 4 cross-lagged models fit the data well (range for the comparative fit index .91-.95; range for the standardized root mean square residual .05-.06). Parental support (β=–.06, P=.02) and parental abuse (β=.08, P=.002) at T1 predicted IGD symptoms at T2, while parental psychological control (β=.03, P=.25) and a positive relationship with parents (β=–.05, P=.07) at T1 had nonsignificant effects on IGD symptoms at T2, when controlling for background variables. In addition, IGD symptoms at T1 did not predict parental factors at T2.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that parental factors may be significant predictors of adolescent IGD. Health interventions should consider involving parents to increase the effectiveness of treatment to prevent and reduce adolescent IGD.

Associations Between Adolescent Problematic Internet Use and Relationship Problems in Chinese Families: Findings from a Large-scale Survey

BACKGROUND

Problematic internet use (PIU) is prevalent among Chinese adolescents. There is a need to better understand how the quality of parent-adolescent relationship is associated with adolescent PIU to guide the development of effective prevention and early intervention programs.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate parent-adolescent conflict and parenting styles as potential risk factors associated with adolescent PIU.

METHODS

A sample of 6552 students (aged 10-19 years) from 22 schools in Guangdong, China, was recruited. The participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring their perceptions of conflict with their parents (involving verbal conflict, emotional abuse, and physical abuse) as well as their perceptions of their parents' parenting styles (including parental care and parental control as measured by the Parental Bonding Inventory), and PIU using the Adolescent Pathological Internet Use Scale. Grade level and gender were examined as moderators of these associations.

RESULTS

Using multiple regression analyses, we found that greater mother-adolescent conflict, father-adolescent conflict, and parental control, and lower levels of parental care, were associated with higher levels of adolescent PIU (P<.001). The association between mother-adolescent conflict and PIU was stronger in older students than in younger students (P=.04), whereas the association between father-adolescent conflict and PIU was stronger in male students than in female students (P=.02). Compared with those who reported no mother-adolescent conflict, participants who experienced verbal conflict and emotional abuse, but not physical abuse from their mothers, reported higher levels of PIU (P<.001). Compared with those who reported no father-adolescent conflict, participants who experienced verbal conflict, emotional abuse, and physical abuse from their fathers had significantly higher levels of PIU (P<.001, P<.001, and P=.02, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings point to the value of interventions to reduce parental verbal conflict, emotional abuse, and physical abuse, and to increase positive parenting styles, to lower the risk of PIU in Chinese adolescents.

Parents' Perspectives on Their Relationship With Their Adolescent Children With Internet Addiction: Survey Study

BACKGROUND

Parents of adolescents with internet addiction are confronted with their children's internet problems on a daily basis. Parents may notice that adolescents with addiction may also have emotional and behavioral problems, including impulsivity and violence. Parenting styles have been found to be related to internet addiction.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to investigate parents' perspectives on their parenting style, relationship with their child, and the degree of internet addiction and emotional and behavioral problems of their child.

METHODS

A web survey was conducted with 600 parents of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years, from October 14 to 18, 2021, across Japan. Respondents were recruited by an internet research company and were asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. The survey was divided into two groups: 300 parents who answered "yes" to the question "Do you think your child is dependent on the internet?" and 300 parents who answered "no" to that question. Questionnaires were collected until each group had 300 participants. The questionnaire included (1) the Parent-Child Internet Addiction Test (PCIAT), (2) the daily time spent using the internet, (3) the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), (4) the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), and (5) the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) measuring self-report attachment style prototypes.

RESULTS

Mean scores of the PCIAT and the daily time spent using the internet for the group with probable internet addiction were significantly higher than those of the group without probable internet addiction (50%; P<.001). The total difficulties score from the SDQ for the group with probable internet addiction (mean 10.87, SD 5.9) was significantly higher than that for the group without probable internet addiction (mean 8.23, SD 5.64; P<.001). The mean score for authoritarian parenting from the PSDQ for the group with probable internet addiction (mean 2.1, SD 0.58) was significantly higher than that for the group without probable internet addiction (mean 2.1, SD 0.58; P<.001). Regarding the RQ, there were no significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that parents who think their child is addicted to the internet may recognize emotional and behavioral problems of the child and have an authoritarian parenting style.

The association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use among English- and Chinese-language studies: A meta-analysis

As past studies of the association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use show mixed results and are influenced by many factors, this meta-analysis of 75 primary Chinese and English language studies from 1990 to 2021 with 110,601 participants (aged 6−25 years) explored (a) the overall association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use, and (b) whether the association is affected by their types, country, measures, objects of the parent-child relationship, gender, age, year and publication types. We used funnel plots, Classic fail-safe N and Egger's test to test for publication bias and for moderation with the homogeneity tests. The results showed a negative association between quality of parent-child relationship and problematic internet use (r = −0.18, 95% CI = [−0.20, −0.15]). The moderation analysis found that compared with internet addiction tendency, the association between social media addiction and parent-child relationship was stronger. Moreover, the association between the parent-child relationship and problematic internet use of emerging adults (18–25 years old) was stronger than that of adolescents (12−18 years old). Furthermore, the negative association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use was weaker (a) in Italy than those in Turkey and China, (b) when using CPS (Closeness to Parents Scale), IPPA (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment), or PARQ (Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire) measuring parent-child relationship than using PCCS (Parent-Child Communication Scale), (c) when using IAT measuring problematic internet use rather than using IGDS or APIUS. Hence, these results indicate a negative association between parent-child relationships and problematic internet use, and the association is moderated by types of problematic internet use, age, country, scales of both parent-child relationship and problematic internet use.

Family Factors Associated with Problematic Use of the Internet in Children: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Problematic use of the internet (PUI) is a growing concern, particularly in the young population. Family factors influence internet use among children in negative ways. This study examined the existing literature on familial or parental factors related to PUI in children.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted in EBSCOhost, PubMed, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Biomed Central, VHL Regional Portal, Cochrane Library, Emerald Insight, and Oxford Academic Journal databases. Studies reporting data on family factors associated with PUI in children, published in English in the 10 years to July 2020 were included. The following data were extracted from each paper by two independent reviewers: methodology and demographic, familial, psychiatric, and behavioral correlates of PUI in children.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Three themes emerged: parenting, parental mental health, and intrafamilial demographic correlates of PUI in children. Parenting styles, parental mediation, and parent-child attachment were the major parenting correlates.

CONCLUSION

Literature on significant familial and parental factors associated with PUI in children is scarce. More research is required to identify the interactions of familial and parental factors with PUI in children, to develop informed management strategies to address this issue.

How Does the Parent–Adolescent Relationship Affect Adolescent Internet Addiction? Parents’ Distinctive Influences

Although previous research has demonstrated that parent–adolescent relationships have a significant effect on adolescent Internet Addiction (IA), the mechanisms underlying these associations and parental differences in these effects have received insufficient attention. We investigated the mediating role of Perceived Social Support and Dual System of Self-Control (DSSC) in the relationship between Father-Adolescent Relationships/Mother-Adolescent Relationships (FAR/MAR) and adolescent IA, as well as the differences in the effects of FAR and MAR. A cross-sectional survey of 732 Chinese adolescents was conducted using the Adolescent Pathological Internet Use Scale, Parent–Adolescent Relationship Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Dual System of Self-Control Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used. The results of structural modeling analysis showed that neither FAR nor MAR directly predicted adolescent IA. In contrast, FAR/MAR had an impact on adolescent IA mainly through the mediating effects of Perceived Social Support and Impulsive System. Furthermore, in the relationship between FAR/MAR and adolescent IA, the Impulsive System and Perceived Social Support both served as chain mediators, as did Perceived Social Support and the Reflective System. And more importantly, unlike FAR, MAR affects adolescent IA through the mediating effect of the Reflective System. Multiple linear regression showed that the regression coefficient of MAR on adolescent IA had stronger significance compared to FAR, MAR is deserving of more attention than FAR. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the association between FAR/MAR and adolescent IA and suggest that family relationship-focused training approaches are critical for suppressing adolescent IA. These interventions should be tailored to the unique circumstances of each family.

Relationship Between Physical Activity, Parental Psychological Control, Basic Psychological Needs, Anxiety, and Mental Health in Chinese Engineering College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The issue of mental health among college students is of increasing concern during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since course characteristics of engineering college students determine the particularities of their mental health, the specific objectives of this study were: (1) to analyze the relationship between physical activity, parental psychological control, basic psychological needs, anxiety, and mental health in Chinese engineering college students during COVID-19 pandemic; and (2) to examine the mediation effect of anxiety between the relationship of basic psychological needs and mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted among several universities in Shandong Province, China. We randomly selected 254 Chinese engineering college students from these colleges. Participants who were given questionnaires completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale (BNSG-S), Parental psychological control Questionnaire, the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), and the Kessler 10 (K10) scale. The mediation model was conducted to assess the mediation effect of anxiety between the relationship of basic psychological needs and mental health. Among 254 Chinese college students majoring in engineering, the results showed that their mental health was in the mid-level range. Besides, physical activity and basic psychological needs is positively correlated with mental health, respectively, while parental psychological control is not correlated with mental health. Anxiety is negatively associated with mental health. Mediation analysis revealed that anxiety played a mediation role in the relationship between basic psychological needs and mental health. In conclusion, mental health of Chinese engineering college students deserves extensive attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Proper intervention on physical activity, basic psychological needs, and anxiety may be beneficial to improve their mental health. In addition, meeting basic psychological needs is beneficial to reduce anxiety and improve mental health further.

Parent–Child Relationship Quality and Internet Use in a Developing Country: Adolescents’ Perspectives

Objective

The goal of the study was to explore the relationship between parent–children relationships related to using the internet among kids and potentially associated factors.

Materials and Methods

A sample of 1.216 Vietnamese students between the ages of 12 and 18 agreed to participate in the cross-sectional online survey. Data collected included socioeconomic characteristics and internet use status of participants, their perceived changes in relationship and communication between parents and children since using the internet, and parental control toward the child’s internet use. An Ordered Logistic Regression was carried out to determine factors associated with parent–children relationship since using the internet.

Results

The characteristics of the relationship between children and their parents since using the Internet were divided into three levels: deterioration (7.0%), stability (78.2%), and improvement (14.8%). The topics that children most often communicate with their parents include learning, housework, and future directions. Two-way interactive activities, such as supporting parents to use the Internet, have a positive impact on the parent–child relationship. Stubborn parental control, such as establishing rules about contact or allowing Internet access and setting up global positioning system (GPS) to track negatively affecting parent–child relationships.

Conclusion

Findings indicated that changes in the quality of the parent–child relationship were self-assessed by participants regard to kids’ internet use, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic context. Educational campaigns and programs to raise awareness of parents as to the dangers and negative influences that their children may encounter online, psychology of children’s behaviors and effects of different responding strategies are recommended.

Parental Autonomy Support, Parental Psychological Control and Chinese University Students' Behavior Regulation: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

The present research examined relationships between parental autonomy support, parental psychological control, and Chinese emerging adults' autonomous regulation in their university studies as well as dysregulation in social media engagement. A total of 287 (102 female and 185 male) Chinese university students reported on their perceived parenting styles, psychological needs, and behavior regulation. Results showed that basic psychological need satisfaction was positively associated with parental autonomy support and autonomous regulation of learning; need frustration was positively correlated with parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. More importantly, psychological need frustration was a mediator of the relation between parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. Our findings suggest that students living in an autonomy-supportive familial environment tend to have satisfied psychological needs as well as autonomous learning behavior. Impairment of psychological needs could be one of the mechanisms through which psychologically controlling parenting was linked to dysregulation of social media use in Chinese culture.

A multidimensional construct of helicopter parenting and college students' game and social media addictive behaviors: A cross-cultural study in South Korea and China

Introduction

We explored latent classes of helicopter parenting among Korean and Chinese college students. In addition, we examined whether these latent classes of helicopter parenting are related to Korean and Chinese students' game and social media addictive behaviors.

Methods

A three-step latent class analysis was conducted using 452 students from six universities in South Korea and 372 students from four universities in China.

Results and discussion

We identified four distinct helicopter parenting latent classes among the parents of Korean and Chinese students: weak, strong, academic management, and academic and schedule management. We also found that Korean students in the strong class reported significantly higher levels of game and social media addictive behaviors than those in the other three classes, but this did not hold for Chinese students. This finding indicates that the association between helicopter parenting and college students' game and social media addictive behaviors can be differentiated within Asian cultural contexts.

Internet Addiction and Emotional and Behavioral Maladjustment in Mainland Chinese Adolescents: Cross-Lagged Panel Analyses

Adolescence is a developmental stage when adolescents are vulnerable to addictive behaviors, such as Internet addiction (IA), which refers to pathological use of the Internet. Although there are views proposing that the links between IA and adolescent problem behavior may be bidirectional in nature, few studies have examined the reciprocal relationships between IA and other maladjustment indicators, and even fewer studies have simultaneously employed both emotional and behavioral maladjustment indicators in a single study. To address the above research gaps, the present study investigated how IA is associated with both depression and delinquency among Chinese adolescents. Two waves of data were collected at two consecutive years, respectively, with 1year apart, from 3,010 students (Mean age=13.16, SD=0.81; 57.48% boys) in four junior high schools in mainland China. These students completed the same questionnaire containing measures of IA, depression, and delinquency at each wave. The proposed cross-lagged panel model fitted the data very well, and there were significant positive reciprocal effects between IA and depression as well as delinquency after controlling for background socio-demographic factors. Gender differences were also observed in multi-group comparisons. Specifically, IA showed a stronger longitudinal impact on delinquency among boys than among girls. While depression significantly predicted IA in 1year among boys, such a prediction was not significant among girls. These findings delineate the bidirectionality of the associations between IA and emotional and behavioral maladjustment indexed by depression and delinquency, respectively. The findings also suggest that researchers and practitioners have to take gender differences as well as different developmental indicators in understanding the bidirectional influences between IA and adolescent behavioral and emotional development.

Bidirectional relationship between parental psychological control and adolescent maladjustment

INTRODUCTION

This study explores the longitudinal and bidirectional relations between paternal/maternal psychological control and adolescent maladjustment (i.e., internalizing symptoms, aggression, and association with deviant peers).

METHODS

This longitudinal investigation was conducted at two time points over a one-year interval with participants comprising 543 Chinese adolescents aged 10 to 13 (mean age at Time 1 = 11.29; 51.93% girls). The performed measurements encompassed paternal/maternal psychological control, adolescent internalizing symptoms, aggression, association with deviant peers, and demographic information.

RESULTS

The findings of a cross-lagged model analysis revealed that paternal psychological control was longitudinally and positively related to adolescent internalizing symptoms and aggression. Maternal psychological control was not significantly related to any domain of adolescent maladjustment. In turn, adolescent association with deviant peers was longitudinally and positively associated with both parents' psychological control.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental psychological control was bidirectionally associated with adolescent maladjustment in general, and paternal psychological control played a crucial role on adolescent maladjustment in the Chinese cultural context. The study's findings supported the reciprocal model of parent-child interaction, and extended it by highlighting the apprehension of the characteristics of parental impact from a cultural perspective. The study results add to the current scholarly understanding of parental psychological control in the non-western cultural context.

Parental Control and Adolescent Delinquency Based on Parallel Process Latent Growth Curve Modeling

Although ample evidence demonstrates parental influences on delinquent behavior in adolescent years, few studies have examined how change in adolescent delinquency and change in parental behavior are related to each other, particularly in late adolescence. This study utilized survey data collected over three high school years (N = 3074 Grade 10 students; mean age = 15.57, SD = 0.74 at Time 1) to examine how change trajectory of adolescent-reported delinquency is related to change trajectory of adolescent perceived parental behavioral and psychological control using parallel process growth curve modeling. Results revealed that adolescent delinquency level was negatively associated with both parents’ behavioral control and positively associated with parents’ psychological control at Time 1 (Grade 10). However, adolescent delinquency increased in parallel with decreased parental behavioral control, but not a change in psychological control. Initial paternal behavioral control positively predicted a linear increase slope of adolescent delinquency while initial adolescent delinquency level also positively predicted a linear decrease slope of paternal behavioral control. These results highlight the parallel development of parents’ behavioral control and children’s delinquent behavior and delineate the reciprocal influence between paternal behavioral control and adolescent children’s delinquency.

Parenting factors and meaning of life among Chinese adolescents: A six-wave longitudinal study

INTRODUCTION

Using six-wave data, the present study examined the influence of parent-child subsystem relational qualities (indexed by parental behavioral control, psychological control, and parent-child relationship) on the initial status and growth trajectory of meaning of life (MOL) in Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 2023 high school students in Hong Kong (M age = 12.53 ± 0.66 years, 48.0% male students) responded to a questionnaire measuring their perceived parent-child subsystem relational qualities and meaning of life for six consecutive years from 2009/2010. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses and multiple regression analyses were used.

RESULTS

Results of IGC analyses showed that parental behavioral control and parent-child relationship quality at Wave 1 positively predicted the initial level of adolescent MOL but negatively influenced the growth trajectory of MOL. Parental psychological control at the initial level negatively predicted the initial status of MOL but not the developmental trajectory of adolescent MOL. However, compared with adolescents experiencing poorer parent-child relational subsystem qualities, adolescents with better parent-child relational subsystem qualities showed significantly higher MOL at each time point. Multiple regression analyses also showed that while parent-child relationship quality and paternal behavioral control concurrently and longitudinally exhibited positive predictions on adolescent MOL, the impact of parental psychological control on adolescent MOL showed different patterns in early and late adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

The pioneering findings underline the important role of different parent-child subsystem relational qualities in influencing adolescent MOL.

Longitudinal Trajectories, Social and Individual Antecedents, and Outcomes of Problematic Internet Use Among Late Adolescents

Given the detrimental effects associated with problematic internet use (PIU) and the need to better understand its nature and evolution, the present study examined the development of PIU in a sample of 1,750 adolescents (aged 16-19) from Finland over a 3-year period. We documented the social (loneliness, perceived maternal and paternal behaviors) and individual (sex) antecedents, as well as the outcome implications (depressive symptoms, substance use, academic achievement) of PIU trajectories. Outcomes also predicted PIU trajectories. Latent curve modeling revealed an initially moderate, and subsequently decreasing trajectory of PIU. PIU was predicted by loneliness, paternal neglect, maternal care, depressive symptoms, and being male. In turn, PIU trajectories predicted increases in depressive symptoms and substance use, but decreases in academic achievement.

Perceived Paternal and Maternal Parenting Attributes among Chinese Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis study examined perceived parental differences between Chinese mothers and fathers from the perspective of adolescents. A systematic search for relevant articles published up to 2019 was performed in electronic databases. The random-effect model was used to calculate the weighted and pooled effect size at the 95% confidence interval. This study was based on 43 studies in English peer-reviewed journals involving 55,759 Chinese adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years. We conducted subgroup analyses to explore whether differences in study designs (i.e., cross-sectional and longitudinal) and adolescent gender could explain perceived parental differences. The results showed that perceived maternal parenting attributes were more positive than perceived paternal parenting attributes in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Besides, perceived paternal parenting attributes showed slightly greater variability than did maternal parenting attributes. Subgroup analysis based on adolescent gender revealed that only adolescent girls perceived maternal parenting attributes to be more positive than paternal parenting attributes.

The Association between Parental Psychological Control, Deviant Peer Affiliation, and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

Abundant empirical research indicates a relationship between parental psychological control and adolescent Internet gaming disorder (IGD), but the direction and underlying mechanism of this association remain unclear. Using a two-year longitudinal design across three time points, the present study examined the reciprocal processes between parental psychological control and IGD and explored whether deviant peer affiliation explains this bidirectional association. The sample consisted of 908 participants (480 boys and 428 girls) who participated in three measurements and completed questionnaires assessing parental psychological control, deviant peer affiliation, and IGD. Autoregressive cross-lagged models indicated a direct reciprocal relationship between parental psychological control and IGD. Furthermore, the results showed that parental psychological control exerts an indirect effect on adolescent IGD via deviant peer affiliation, but the inverse indirect effect via deviant peer affiliation was non-significant. Knowledge regarding the direct and underlying mechanisms of the reciprocal relationship between parental psychological control and IGD has important implications for prevention and intervention of adolescent IGD.

Worry and Permissive Parenting in Association with the Development of Internet Addiction in Children

The Internet has experienced a rapid increase in use globally. Specifically, more than 90% of Hong Kong’s citizens use the Internet, and 70% of children in the age group of 6–17 years have daily access to it. However, internet addiction could pose serious social and health issues. Therefore, conducting research to investigate its causes and risk factors is fundamental. The current study examined the relationship between worry and Internet addiction among children in Hong Kong and investigated the moderating effect of the permissive parenting style on such a relationship. The participants consisted of 227 fourth- and fifth-grade students (120 males, 52.9%) with a mean age of 9.55 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.58) in Hong Kong. Each participant was asked to complete the questionnaires, including the Internet Addiction Test for Internet addiction, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children for worry, and the Parental Authority Questionnaire for the permissive parenting style. The results indicated that worry was related to greater Internet addiction among children. Furthermore, there was a moderating effect of the permissive parenting style such that the positive association between worry and Internet addiction was stronger when the permissive parenting style was higher. Our findings imply that parenting styles are influential in the prevention of Internet addiction.

The effects of parental control and warmth on problematic internet use in adolescents: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Problematic internet use (PIU) is a highly prevalent condition with severe adverse effects. The literature suggests that parent-child bonding and parental behavioral control exert protective effects against PIU. However, the most relevant studies rely on simplistic measurement of parenting, cross-sectional designs and mixed-aged samples. Our study analyzed the effect of maternal and paternal parenting on PIU by using a prospective design and a cohort sample of same-aged children.

METHODS

Data from 1,019 Czech 12-year-old sixth-graders who were followed until ninth grade were used. Maternal and paternal responsiveness and strictness were reported by children using the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) and the Parental Control Scale (PCS). PIU was measured by the Excessive Internet Use Scale (EIUS).

RESULTS

The self-reported PIU prevalence in nine-graders (15-year-old) was 8.1%. Parenting, reported by adolescents 18 months before PIU screening, showed significant relationships with PIU: parental responsiveness was negatively and moderately associated, while maternal strictness showed a weak positive association; the authoritative parenting style in both parents decreased PIU, with a PIU probability of 3.21%, while a combination of maternal authoritarian and paternal neglectful parenting was associated with PIU probability as high as 20.9%.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The self-reported prevalence of PIU in Czech adolescents was found to be high. The effects of parenting on PIU were similar to the effects of parenting on other problematic behavior among adolescents. Our findings showed the need for interventions to prevent PIU by helping parents to apply optimal parenting styles.

The Importance of Positive Youth Development Attributes to Life Satisfaction and Hopelessness in Mainland Chinese Adolescents

In contrast to mainstream theories focusing on adolescent developmental deficits, the positive youth development (PYD) approach highlights adolescent developmental plasticity and potentials. There are rich empirical research and review studies showing that PYD attributes promote adolescent well-being. However, the existing literature shows several limitations. First, while there are many Western studies, Chinese studies are sparse, particularly studies in mainland China. Second, most PYD studies are cross-sectional studies with data collected at one single time point. Third, researchers in different Chinese contexts seldom employed validated Chinese scales assessing different domains of PYD attributes. Fourth, few studies have examined the relationships between PYD attributes (measures of eudaimonic well-being) and life satisfaction (measure of hedonic well-being) and hopelessness (measure of negative well-being) in a single study. Finally, the role of life satisfaction or hopelessness as a mediator of the relationship between PYD attributes and psychological well-being is unclear. To explore the importance of PYD attributes to Chinese adolescent psychological well-being, we conducted a longitudinal study with two waves of data collected from junior high school students in mainland China (N = 2,648). At both times, validated measures of PYD attributes, life satisfaction, and hopelessness were employed. Results showed that PYD attributes concurrently and longitudinally predicted life satisfaction and hopelessness with small effect sizes. Cross-lagged panel analyses showed that while Wave 2 life satisfaction did not serve as a mediator of the relationship between Wave 1 PYD attributes and Wave 2 hopelessness, Wave 2 hopelessness served as a mediator of the link from Wave 1 PYD attributes to Wave 2 life satisfaction. In view of the paucity of research findings in this area, the present findings clarify the association between PYD attributes and hedonic well-being (indexed by life satisfaction) and negative psychological well-being (indexed by hopelessness) in Chinese adolescents.

The effects of parental control and warmth on problematic internet use in adolescents: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Problematic internet use (PIU) is a highly prevalent condition with severe adverse effects. The literature suggests that parent-child bonding and parental behavioral control exert protective effects against PIU. However, the most relevant studies rely on simplistic measurement of parenting, cross-sectional designs and mixed-aged samples. Our study analyzed the effect of maternal and paternal parenting on PIU by using a prospective design and a cohort sample of same-aged children.

METHODS

Data from 1,019 Czech 12-year-old sixth-graders who were followed until ninth grade were used. Maternal and paternal responsiveness and strictness were reported by children using the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) and the Parental Control Scale (PCS). PIU was measured by the Excessive Internet Use Scale (EIUS).

RESULTS

The self-reported PIU prevalence in nine-graders (15-year-old) was 8.1%. Parenting, reported by adolescents 18 months before PIU screening, showed significant relationships with PIU: parental responsiveness was negatively and moderately associated, while maternal strictness showed a weak positive association; the authoritative parenting style in both parents decreased PIU, with a PIU probability of 3.21%, while a combination of maternal authoritarian and paternal neglectful parenting was associated with PIU probability as high as 20.9%.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The self-reported prevalence of PIU in Czech adolescents was found to be high. The effects of parenting on PIU were similar to the effects of parenting on other problematic behavior among adolescents. Our findings showed the need for interventions to prevent PIU by helping parents to apply optimal parenting styles.

Positive Youth Development and Adolescent Depression: A Longitudinal Study Based on Mainland Chinese High School Students

There are several limitations of the scientific literature on the linkage between positive youth development (PYD) attributes and adolescent psychological morbidity. First, longitudinal studies in the field are limited. Second, few studies have used validated PYD measures to explore the related issues. Third, few studies have used large samples. Fourth, limited studies have been conducted in mainland China. In this study, we conducted a longitudinal study using two waves of data collected from 2648 junior high school students in mainland China. In each wave, participants responded to a validated PYD scale (Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale: CPYDS) and other measures of well-being, including the 20-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). After controlling for the background demographic variables, different measures of CPYDS (cognitive-behavioral competence, prosocial attributes, general positive youth development qualities, positive identity, and overall PYD qualities) were negatively associated with CES-D scores in Wave 1 and Wave 2. Longitudinal analyses also revealed that PYD measures in Wave 1 negatively predicted Wave 2 depression scores and the changes over time. The present findings highlight the protective role of PYD attributes in protecting adolescents from depression.

The Associations between Family-Related Factors and Excessive Internet Use in Adolescents

This study examined the relationship between Excessive Internet Use (EIU) in adolescents and their family environment, namely the family type, the family economic status, the effect of parental care, the level of parental control, the amount of parental monitoring, the quality of communication, and the time spent together. The study was based on data from an international survey, Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC), conducted in Slovakia. The sample representative for adolescents included 2547 participants (51% boys) aged 13–15. Multiple-step linear regression revealed that higher parental care and parental monitoring predicted lower EIU, while higher parental overprotection and lower socioeconomic status predicted higher EIU. The results suggest that both so-called optimal parenting (i.e., the balance of emotional warmth and protection) and the adolescent′s autonomy lower the risk of EIU. Family factors explained about 14% of the variance, which suggests that aside from personal, cognitive and affective factors, a close social environment also plays an important role in adolescence EIU.

Parent-child relationship and smartphone use disorder among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of quality of life and the moderating role of educational level

The present study explored the effect of parent-child relationship on Smartphone Use Disorder (SUD) and the mediating role of quality of life (QOL). In addition, we explored the role of educational level from the developmental psychology perspective. Our results indicate that: (1) parent-child relationship could negatively predict SUD among adolescents; (2) QOL played a partial mediator role in the relationship between parent-child relationship and SUD; (3) As educational level increased from elementary school to middle school to high school, the effect of parent-child relationship on QOL weakened. This study showed that adolescents with good parent-child relationship had a higher QOL thus exhibiting a lower extent of SUD. Moreover, the link between parent-child relationship and SUD weakened as the educational level increased.

Influence of Family Factors on Substance Use in Early Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong

The present study examined the concurrent and longitudinal influences of paternal and maternal factors on the levels of and changes in substance use among early adolescents. Based on three waves of data collected from 2,669 junior high school Chinese students in Hong Kong, we found that fathers' and mothers' behavioral control and the quality of parent-adolescent relationship were negative predictors of the initial levels of substance use. Higher levels of maternal behavioral control and quality of mother-adolescent relationship predicted a slower rate of increase in adolescent substance use. Parental psychological control was not a significant predictor of the growth rate of adolescent substance use. While fathers' behavioral control and mother-adolescent relationship were stable concurrent predictors, the mother-adolescent relationship was a robust longitudinal predictor of adolescent substance use. The findings underline the critical roles of parents in influencing adolescent substance use.

Linking parental mediation practices to adolescents' problematic online screen use: A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To remedy problematic Internet use (PIU) and problematic online gaming (POG) in adolescents, much is expected from efforts by parents to help youths to contain their screen use. Such parental mediation can include (a) refraining from acting, (b) co-viewing or co-gaming with the teen, (c) active mediation, and (d) restrictive mediation. We evaluated if parental mediation practices are linked to PIU and POG in adolescents.

METHODS

For a systematic literature review, we searched for publications presenting survey data and relating parental mediation practices to levels of PIU and/or POG in adolescents. The review's selection criteria were met by 18 PIU and 9 POG publications, reporting on 81.002 and 12.915 adolescents, respectively. We extracted data on gaming problems, mediation interventions, study design features, and sample characteristics.

RESULTS

No type of parental mediation was consistently associated with lower or elevated problematic screen use rates in the adolescents. Refraining from parental mediation tended to aggravate screen use problems, whereas active mediation (talking to the teen) may mitigate such problems in PIU, but less clearly in POG. The link of restrictive mediation with problematic screen use varied from positive to negative, possibly depending on type of restriction. In both PIU and POG, family cohesion was related to lower rates of the problem behavior concerned and family conflict to higher rates.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Parental mediation practices may affect problematic screen use rates for better or worse. However, research of higher quality, including observations of parent-teen interactions, is needed to confirm the trends noted and advance the critical issue of the possible association between PIU, POG, and family interactions.

[Factors associated with Internet addiction among Tunisian adolescents]

INTRODUCTION

Internet addiction, a relatively new phenomenon, is a field of recent research in mental health, particularly within young populations. It seems to interact with several individual and environmental factors.

OBJECTIVES

We aim to spot internet addiction in a Tunisian adolescent population, and to study its relationship with personal and family factors, as well as with anxious and depressive comorbidities.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 253 adolescents recruited in public places in the city of Sfax in the south of Tunisia. We collected biographical and personal data as well as data describing family dynamics. The internet addiction was assessed by Young's questionnaire. Depressive and anxious co-morbidities were assessed using the HADS scale. The comparative study was based on the chi-square test and the Student's test, with a significance level of 5 %.

RESULTS

The prevalence of internet addiction was 43.9 %. The average age of internet-addicts was 16.34 years, the male sex was the most represented (54.1 %) and increased the risk of internet addiction (OR a=2.805). The average duration of connection among Internet addicts was 4.6hours per day and was significantly related to internet addiction; P<0.001). Socializing activities were found in the majority of the internet-addicted adolescents (86.5 %). The type of online activity was significantly associated with internet addiction (P=0.03 and OR a=3.256). Other behavioral addictions were frequently reported: 35.13% for excessive use of video games and 43.25 % for pathological purchases. These two behaviors were significantly associated with internet addiction (with respectively P=0.001 and P=0.002 with OR=3.283). The internet-addicted adolescents lived with both parents in 91.9 % of cases. The mother's regular professional activity was significantly associated with internet addiction risk (P=0.04) as was the use of the Internet by parents and siblings (with respectively P=0.002 and P<0.001 with OR=3.256). The restrictive attitude of the parents was significantly associated with internet addiction risk (P<0.001 OR=2.57). Family dynamics, particularly at the level of adolescent-parent interactions, were a determining factor in internet addiction. Anxiety was more frequently found than depression among our cyber-dependent adolescents with frequencies of 65.8 % and 18.9 %, respectively. Anxiety was significantly correlated with the risk of internet addiction (P=0.003, OR a=2.15). There was no significant correlation between depression and the risk of internet addiction.

CONCLUSION

The Tunisian adolescent seems at great risk of internet addiction. Targeted action on modifiable factors, especially those affecting family interactions, would be very useful in prevention.

Parenting styles, perceived social support and emotion regulation in adolescents with internet addiction

AIM

The aim of this study is to investigate parental attitudes, perceived social support, emotion regulation and the accompanying psychiatric disorders seen in adolescents who, having been diagnosed with Internet Addiction (IA), were referred to an outpatient child and adolescent psychiatric clinic.

METHODS

Of 176 adolescents aged 12-17, 40 were included in the study group. These scored 80 or higher on Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and met Young's diagnostic criteria for IA based on psychiatric interviews. Forty adolescents who matched them in terms of age, gender and socio-economic level were included in the control group. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS-PL), the Parenting Style Scale (PSS), the Lum Emotional Availabilty of Parents (LEAP), the Social Support Appraisals Scale for Children (SSAS-C), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) were applied.

RESULTS

The results showed that the parents of adolescents with IA were more frequently inadequate in acceptance/involvement, supervision/monitoring and they had less emotional availability. The adolescents with IA had less perceived social support, greater difficulty in the identification and verbal expression of their feelings and emotion regulation. Lower parental strictness/supervision, higher alexithymia and the existence of an anxiety disorder were found to be significant predictors of IA. Internet addicted adolescents with comorbid major depressive disorder had higher levels of alexithymia and lower levels of emotional availability in their parents.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that strategies for the prevention and treatment of IA in adolescents should focus on improving the quality of parenting parent-adolescent relationships, enhancing perceived social support and emotion regulation while reducing the associated psychiatric symptoms in adolescents.

Temporal Transitions in Patterns of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Among Adolescents Following the Wenchuan Earthquake

Posttramatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are persistent disorders with heterogeneous comorbidity. Cross-sectional design limitations have prevented previous studies from examining symptom pattern transitions, which limits the understanding on the change of mental health over time since trauma. This study examined transition patterns of PTSD and depression comorbidity and assessed the role of personality. PTSD, depression, and personality scales were used to assess 619 adolescents 1 year after the Wenchuan earthquake and then to longitudinally assess 332 adolescents 2 years post-earthquake. Data were analyzed using latent transition analysis and logistic regression. Four PTSD and depression comorbidity patterns were identified at both times: moderate comorbidity, high comorbidity, no symptoms, and depression. Patterns of PTSD and depression changed in 23.4% of adolescents: 4.4% and 7.1% transitioned from no symptoms to depression and from depression to moderate comorbidity, respectively; 7.5% transitioned from moderate comorbidity to depression. Extraversion and conscientiousness were more likely and openness was less likely to be associated with moderate comorbidity symptoms transitioned to depression symptoms. These findings indicated that patterns of PTSD and depression in adolescents are heterogeneous and show temporal change.

Paternal and Maternal Influence on Delinquency among Early Adolescents in Hong Kong

Objective: The aim was to examine the effects of parental behaviors and the parent-child relationship on delinquency levels as well as growth rates among early adolescents, and to explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal influence of fathers and mothers. Method: The study used and analyzed data collected at Waves 1–3 (N = 2669, age 12.56 ± 0.71 years at Wave 1) in a six-year research project. Results: While both parents’ behavioral control significantly predicted a lower initial level of delinquency, only higher behavioral control of fathers predicted a fast increase in delinquency. In contrast, parental psychological control did not serve as significant predictors in the individual growth curve model. Besides, relationships of father-child and mother-child dyads negatively predicted the initial level of delinquency but not the rate of change in adolescent delinquency. When all factors were investigated simultaneously, fathers’ behavioral control and the relationship between mother and child were robust cross-sectional predictors, whereas only the latter was a stable longitudinal predictor of adolescent delinquency. Conclusions: Parenting and the parent-child relationship are predictors of adolescent delinquency. It is necessary to differentiate between: (1) adolescent delinquency level and its change rate over time; (2) different aspects of parent-child dyadic factors; and (3) paternal and maternal factors.

Influence of Family Processes on Internet Addiction Among Late Adolescents in Hong Kong

The present study investigated how the quality of the parent-child subsystem (indexed by behavioral control, psychological control, and parent-child relationship) predicted Internet addiction (IA) levels and change rates among senior high school students. It also examined the concurrent and longitudinal influence of the father- and mother-related factors on adolescent IA. At the beginning of the 2009/2010 school year, we randomly selected 28 high schools in Hong Kong and invited Grade 7 students to complete a questionnaire annually across the high school years. The present study used data collected in the senior high school years (Wave 4-6), which included a matched sample of 3,074 students (aged 15.57 ± 0.74 years at Wave 4). Growth curve modeling analyses revealed a slight decreasing trend in adolescent IA in senior high school years. While higher paternal behavioral control predicted children's lower initial level of and a slower drop in IA, maternal behavioral control was not a significant predictor of these measures. In contrast, higher maternal but not paternal psychological control showed a significant relationship with a higher initial level of and a faster drop in adolescent IA. Finally, better father-child and mother-child relationships predicted a lower initial level of IA among adolescents. However, while a poorer mother-child relationship predicted a faster decline in adolescent IA, father-child relationship quality did not. With the inclusion of all parent-child subsystem factors in the regression analyses, paternal behavioral control and maternal psychological control were identified as the two unique concurrent and longitudinal predictors of adolescent IA. The present findings delineate the essential role of parental control and the parent-child relationship in shaping children's IA across senior high school years, which is inadequately covered in the scientific literature. The study also clarifies the relative contribution of different processes related to the father-child and mother-child subsystems. These findings highlight the need to differentiate the following: (a) levels of and rates of change in adolescent IA, (b) different family processes in the parent-child subsystem, and (c) father- and mother-related factors' contribution to adolescent IA.