Linking parental restrictive mediation to adolescents' science achievement: A social cognitive theory perspective

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the influence of parental restrictive mediation on students' academic achievement and the mediating mechanisms behind this relationship. Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study investigated the relationship between restrictive mediation and students' science achievement and the mediating effects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) self-efficacy and ICT use in learning. A total of 11,293 parent-child dyads participated in the current study. Parents completed a self-report questionnaire on restrictive mediation. Children completed self-report questionnaires of ICT self-efficacy and ICT use in learning and a paper-and-pencil science achievement test. Structural equation modelling indicated that restrictive mediation positively predicted students' science achievement. ICT self-efficacy and ICT use played multiple mediating roles in this association through three mediation pathways. These findings expand our understanding of restrictive mediation on children's development and draw attention to the role of ICT self-efficacy and ICT use in science learning. The practical implications concerning how parents could provide effective guidance on children's online use are discussed.