Associations Among Problematic Internet Usage in Adolescents, Parental Internet Factors, and Parent-Adolescent Communication.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2025
Identifier
DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001328
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Adolescents with problematic internet use (PIU) have excessive, impulsive, or risky internet use that negatively affects social, physical, and functional outcomes. The role of parents in the prevention of adolescent PIU remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible association between adolescent PIU, parent PIU, and internet-related parenting factors.
METHODS: Adolescents aged 12 to 18 years and a parent were recruited through national Qualtrics panels for an online cross-sectional survey. Adolescents and parents completed the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale-3 (PRIUSS-3) and Internet-Specific Parenting Practices (ISPP) scales for (1) internet content (ISPP-content) and (2) time on the internet (ISPP-time). Adolescents completed ISPP for quality of parent communication regarding internet use (ISPP-Quality). Bivariate analyses examined relationships between adolescent PIU, parent PIU, and ISPP.
RESULTS: In total, 4558 adolescents and 4568 parents completed surveys. Adolescent PIU prevalence was 69.9%. Parent PIU prevalence was 61.4%. Among parents with PIU, 87% had an adolescent with PIU compared with only 42% of parents without PIU (OR = 9.54, 95% CI: 8.24-11.05). More lenient content parenting practices and stricter time parenting practices were associated with increased likelihood of adolescent PIU. The quality of parent communication around the internet was lower for adolescents with PIU.
CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that coaching around positive parent-child relationships and healthy family internet use habits that include shared digital experiences may more effectively address PIU than enforcing child screen time limits.
Journal Title
Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP
Volume
46
Issue
1
First Page
40
Last Page
44
MeSH Keywords
Humans; Adolescent; Male; Female; Parent-Child Relations; Child; Parenting; Internet Addiction Disorder; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adolescent Behavior; Internet Use; Internet; Adult
PubMed ID
39960784
Keywords
Parent-Child Relations; Parenting; Internet Addiction Disorder; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adolescent Behavior; Internet Use; Internet
Recommended Citation
Milkovich LM, Randell KA, Sherman AK, Moreno MA. Associations Among Problematic Internet Usage in Adolescents, Parental Internet Factors, and Parent-Adolescent Communication. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2025;46(1):e40-e44. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000001328
Comments
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