Influence of Single Parents’ Parenting Stress on Adolescent Children’s Internet Addiction: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Family Economic Status

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the influence of parenting stress among single parents on the level of Internet addiction in their adolescent children, while also considering the moderating effect of family economic status.Methods: An analysis was conducted using regression models to assess direct and moderating effects, utilizing data from the 2021 Survey of Single-parent Families, focusing on single parents with adolescent children.Results: It was observed that single parents’ parenting stress had a positive and significant influence on the level of Internet addiction seen in their adolescent children. Furthermore, this influence was observed to be even stronger when the family’s economic status was lower.Conclusions: This study empirically examined the influence of parenting and economic circumstances on the level of Internet addiction among adolescent children in single-parent families, drawing on nationally representative data. The study also underscored the need for diverse intervention strategies.