Relationship between paternal phubbing and child externalizing behavior problems: chain mediating roles of parent-child technoference and maternal co-parenting
WANG Yuanyuan1,2,3, GUO Fei1,2,3, CHEN Zhiyan1,2,3, HE Suhua4
1. Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; 2. CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing 100101, China; 3. Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; 4. Wafangdian Teachers’ Continuing Education School, Dalian 116300, Liaoning Province, China
Abstract：Objective To explore the association between paternal phubbing and child externalizing behavior problems, and investigate the mediating roles of parent-child technoference and maternal co-parenting. Methods A total of 793 fathers of children aged 3-6 years were recruited and completed the generic scale of phubbing, the technology interference in parenting scale, the co-parenting relationship scale, and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. AMOS structural equation model and Bootstrap method were used to analyze the mediating effect. Results There were significant correlations between conduct problems of child externalizing behavior problems and interpersonal conflict, self-isolation, and problem acknowledgement of paternal phubbing（r=0.16~0.35, P<0.01）. The hyperactivity and attentional deficits of child externalizing behavior problems were significantly correlated with nomophobia, interpersonal conflict, self-isolation, andproblem acknowledgement of paternal phubbing（r=0.11~0.21, P<0.01）. There were significant correlations between parent-child technoference and dimensions of paternal phubbing, maternal co-parenting, and child externalizing behavior problems（r=0.10~0.57, P<0 .01）. There were significant correlations between maternal co-parenting conflict and dimensions of paternal phubbing and childexternalizing behavior problems（r=0.17~0.31, P<0.01）. There were significant correlations between the damage of maternal co-parenting and interpersonal conflict, self-isolation, and problem acknowledgement of paternal phubbing and dimensions of childexternalizing behavior problem（r=0.13~0.23, P<0.01）. The structural model equation indicated that paternal phubbing had direct effect on child externalizing behavior problems. The mediating effect test showed that the parent-child technoference played a partial mediating role between the paternal phubbing and the child externalizing behavior problems, and the mediating effect accounted for 18.42%. Maternal co-parenting played a partial mediating role, and the mediating role accounted for 26.32%. The chain mediating effect of parent-child technoference and maternal co-parenting accounted for 5.26 %. Conclusion Paternal phubbing is an important influencing factor for child externalizing behavior problems, and the parent-child technoference and maternal co-parenting exert multiple mediating effects.
