Work

The Association Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Excessive Electronic Media Use: The Chain Mediating Role of Parent–Child Attachment and Self-Control

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In the current digital age, children are exposed to electronic media at an increasingly early age. The issue of excessive electronic media use has become a significant risk factor affecting the healthy development of young children. To examine the association between parental phubbing and preschoolers' excessive electronic media use, as well as the underlying mechanism-mediating roles of parent-child attachment and self-control, 758 parents of preschoolers were recruited to complete a set of scales. The results show that: (1) Parental phubbing was positively associated with preschoolers' excessive electronic media use; (2) Parent-child attachment and self-control significantly mediated this relation, which contains three mediating pathways-the mediating effects of parent-child attachment and self-control, as well as their chain mediating effect. The study revealed the psychological mechanisms between parental phubbing and preschoolers' excessive electronic media use, providing suggestions for the prevention and intervention of excessive electronic media use among preschoolers.

Source: Behavioral Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/bs16010121

Authors: Qiong Zhao, Yanrong Fan, Kuai Song, Zhengyi Wang, Zongkui Zhou

Institutions: Central China Normal University, Zhengzhou University of Industrial Technology, Hubei Preschool Teachers College, Wuhan Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Child Development and Digital Technology

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654