How is Father Phubbing Associated with Adolescents’ Social Networking Sites Addiction? Roles of Narcissism, Need to Belong, and Loneliness

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective Parents’ phubbing has been found to be positively associated with adolescents’ internet-related addiction. However, it remains unknown whether father phubbing would influence adolescents’ social networking sites addiction (SNSA), and the mechanisms underlying this association stays largely unknown. This study aims to expand previous research by testing the mediating effect of loneliness, as well as the moderating effects of narcissism and need to belong in the association between father phubbing and adolescents’ SNSA. Method In a cross-sectional design, 4,172 participants (2,189 boys and 1,983 girls; M age = 16.41 ± .77) from 5 high schools in China completed measures of demographic variables, father phubbing, loneliness, narcissism, need to belong, and SNSA. Results Results from regression analyses found that (a) Father phubbing had a positive association with adolescents’ SNSA; (b) Loneliness partially mediated this association; (c) Narcissism and need to belong concurrently moderated the association between father phubbing and loneliness. In particular, the effect of father phubbing on loneliness was weaker among students with high narcissism, and among students with low need to belong. Conclusions The findings enrich our understanding of how father phubbing may increase the risk of SNSA among adolescents, and underscore the potential importance of reducing father phubbing and loneliness to prevent adolescents’ SNSA.