The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Children's Behavioral Problems, Mediated by the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship
| Author | Samira Rostami | en |
| Author | Majid Pourfaraj | en |
| Author | Maysam Rezapour | en |
| Orcid | Samira Rostami [0009-0002-9442-616X] | en |
| Orcid | Majid Pourfaraj [0000-0002-4964-2683] | en |
| Orcid | Maysam Rezapour [0000-0002-6039-3286] | en |
| Issued Date | 2025-12-22 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Parental phubbing has emerged as a significant concern in modern family dynamics. Previous research indicates that such behavior can contribute to children's behavioral problems. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objectives: This study examines the associations between parental phubbing and children's behavioral problems, evaluating the mediating role of parent-child relationship quality. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 405 parents with at least one child between 6 and 12 years in northern Iran. Parents completed measures of the General Phubbing Scale, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) school-age version, and the short version of Pianta's Parent-Child Relationship Scale via online platforms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized mediational pathway using STATA17. Results: Parental phubbing had a significant negative association with parent-child relationship quality (β = -0.38, P < 0.001), which in turn had a significant negative association with children's behavioral problems (β = -0.71, P < 0.001). The non-significant direct effect of parental phubbing on children's behavioral problems (β = 0.07, P = 0.168), coupled with the significant indirect effect through parent-child relationship quality [β = 0.27, 95% CI (0.19, 0.36)], supports a full mediation model, accounting for 52.3% of the total effect with an acceptable goodness of fit. Conclusions: The findings highlight that phubbing is associated with poorer parent-child relationship quality, which in turn is linked to child behavioral problems. Therefore, interventions that help parents maintain meaningful connections with their children during family interactions, despite the ubiquity of smartphones and other digital devices, should be prioritized. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpbs-164655 | en |
| Keyword | Children | en |
| Keyword | Externalizing Problems | en |
| Keyword | Internalizing Problems | en |
| Keyword | Parent-Child Relations | en |
| Keyword | Phubbing | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Children's Behavioral Problems, Mediated by the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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