The Impact Of Harsh Parenting On Problematic Internet Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role Of Peer Cognition And Depressio

According to previous studies,there is a strong relationship between harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use,but researchers lack an exploration of the mechanisms by which harsh parenting induces problematic Internet use by adolescents.Therefore,this study is intended to examine the different mechanisms of paternal and maternal harsh parenting in inducing adolescents’ problematic Internet use.According to cognitive-behavioral theory and compensatory Internet use theory,adolescents’ peer perceptions and depressed mood may be mediating mechanisms through which harsh parenting influences their problematic Internet use.The developmental model of depression suggests that an individual’s negative cognitive schema reinforces the development of his or her depressive schema.Therefore,harsh parenting may lead to negative peer perceptions in adolescents,which in turn induce depression,and thus exacerbating their problematic Internet use.This study focuses on three mediating links between paternal and maternal harsh parenting that influence adolescents’ problematic Internet use: the mediating role of peer perceptions,the mediating role of depression,and the chain mediating role of peer perception and depression.This study used a questionnaire to survey a random sample of students(M=12.59,SD=0.85,age range 11 ～ 15 years)in grades 5-7 in Heze,Shandong Province,on three occasions.Study 1 examined the role of adolescent peer perception as mediator of paternal or maternal harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use;Study 2 examined the role of adolescent depression as mediator of paternal or maternal harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use;On this basis,Study 3 examined the role of adolescent peer perceptions and depression in mediating the chain between paternal or maternal harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use.By comparing the effects of harsh parenting by fathers and harsh parenting by mothers on adolescents’ problematic internet use,the results found that:(1)Harsh parenting was a significant positive predictor of adolescents’ problematic Internet use,with maternal harsh parenting having a greater impact on adolescents’ problematic Internet use than harsh parenting by fathers.(2)Harsh parenting not only directly predicted adolescents’ problematic Internet use,but also exacerbated adolescents’ problematic Internet use by triggering negative peer perceptions.In other words,peer perceptions partially mediate the relationship between harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use.(3)Harsh parenting not only directly induces adolescents’ problematic Internet use,but also exacerbates adolescents’ problematic Internet use by triggering depression.In other words,depression partially mediates the relationship between harsh parenting and adolescents’ problematic Internet use.(4)Harsh parenting by fathers exacerbated adolescents’ risk of problematic Internet use by triggering adolescents’ negative peer perceptions,which in turn triggered depression.Peer perceptions and depression played a fully mediating role.In contrast,adolescent negative peer perceptions and depression partially mediated the relationship between maternal harsh parenting and problematic internet use.In summary,harsh parenting is a family risk factor that leads to adolescents’ problematic Internet use,with adolescent peer perceptions and depression playing an important mediating role.Maternal harsh parenting has a greater predisposing effect on adolescents’ problematic Internet use than harsh parenting by fathers.Therefore,the adverse effects of maternal harsh parenting on adolescents’ problematic Internet use should be given adequate attention.This study provides empirical support for the problem-behavior theory and the interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution model.Adolescents’ negative peer perceptions and depressed emotional experiences play an important role in the association between negative parenting behaviors and problematic internet use,which can help families and schools to prevent and intervene against adolescents’ problematic Internet use.