Maternal Psychological Control and Adolescents’ Problematic Internet Use: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognition

LI Dan-Li; ZHANG Wei; YU Yan-Hui; LI Zhong-Beng

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (2) : 411-416.

Maternal Psychological Control and Adolescents’ Problematic Internet Use: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognition

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Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to investigate: 1) the relationship between maternal psychological control and adolescents’ problematic Internet use (PIU); 2) whether this relationship was mediated by maladaptive cognition about Internet use; 3) whether there is gender difference on the direct and indirect relationships between maternal psychological control and PIU. Participants were 660 middle school students (mean age = 14.14 years, 364 females) recruited from a southern province in mainland China. During a school-based assessment, participants completed Maternal Psychological Control Questionnaire, Maladaptive Cognition about Internet Use Questionnaire, and Problematic Internet Use Scale. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that: (1) after controlling for gender, age, and family economic conditions, psychological control was positively associated with PIU (β = 0.22, p < 0.001). (2) Maladaptive cognition partially mediated the relationship between psychological control and PIU (the mediated effect accounted for 71.2% of the total effect). (3) Males had higher levels of PIU than females. However, no significant moderating effects of gender was found on the direct (including both overall and residual effects) or indirect (including the relationship between maternal psychological control and maladaptive cognition as well as the relationship between maladaptive cognition and PIU) relationships between maternal psychological control and PIU. In conclusion, we build on and contribute to existing literature in several important ways. First, maternal psychological control is positively related to adolescents’ PIU, which is different from behavioral control. Even though psychological control is more popular among Chinese parents than those of western countries, it is indeed a risk factor for adolescents’ development. Second, maladaptive cognition partially mediates the relationship between maternal psychological control and PIU, which indicates that the underlying mechanism of maternal psychological control impacting on adolescents’ PIU consists of both direct and indirect paths. Finally, even though significant gender difference is found on PIU, gender difference is found neither on the direct nor indirect relationship between maternal psychological control and PIU.

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adolescents / maternal psychological control / maladaptive cognition / problematic Internet use

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Maternal Psychological Control and Adolescents’ Problematic Internet Use: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognition[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2013, 36(2): 411-416

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