BACKGROUND: Short-form video applications have spread rapidly and gained popularity among adolescents for their interactivity, sociality, and personalization. However, excessive and uncontrolled use has also caused some adolescents to develop short-form video addiction (SFVA). Although parental phubbing has been shown to be a risk factor for SFVA in adolescents, its intermediate mechanisms, particularly the emotional mediation mechanisms, remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationships among parental phubbing, SFVA, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and neuroticism in adolescents.
METHODS: Adolescents aged 13-19 (N = 5785) were recruited from Shandong Province, China, as participants in 2023. Participants were asked to complete five self-report questionnaires, including the Parental Phubbing Behavior Questionnaire (PPBQ), Short-Form Video Addiction (SFVA) Scale, The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD20), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale, and Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory (Brief Version) (CBF-PI-B).
RESULTS: The results indicate that the influence of parental phubbing on short-form video addiction among adolescents is mediated by symptoms of depression and anxiety. Additionally, neuroticism moderates the association between parental phubbing and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. Reliance on self-report scales.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a better understanding of the systemic impact mechanisms of negative family interactions on SFVA. Moreover, prevention and intervention strategies targeting high neuroticism and symptoms of depression and anxiety may help prevent the developmental pathway from parental phubbing to SFVA.
