Abstract
Given the growing concerns of problematic Internet use and online safety, it is critical to address parental self-efficacy in managing adolescent Internet use and to examine associated factors, especially in parents of adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We examined the roles of adolescents’ hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, parents’ depressive symptoms, parenting behavior (parental care and indifference), and child behavior (Internet addiction) in relation to parental self-efficacy in managing adolescent Internet use. We recruited 237 Taiwanese parents of adolescents with ADHD (ages 11–18). Hierarchical linear regression was performed in four steps to test the study hypotheses. The results indicated that child’s age, ODD symptoms, and Internet addiction of adolescents were negatively associated, and parental care was positively associated with parental self-efficacy in managing adolescent Internet use. The final model was significant and explained 43% of the variance. The present study demonstrated that parenting and child behaviors contribute to parental self-efficacy in managing adolescent Internet use. Moreover, children’s ODD symptoms were identified as the risk factor for reduced parental self-efficacy.
Highlights
The first step of the hierarchical linear regression model examining the demographic variables revealed that less-educated parents and older age of adolescents were associated with lower parental self-efficacy in managing adolescent Internet use
Mental health factors were further selected into step 2, which indicated that after controlling for the effects of demographic factors, higher levels of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in adolescents were significantly associated with lower parental self-efficacy
Parenting behaviors were further added into step 3, which indicated that after controlling for the effects of demographic and mental health factors, higher parental care was significantly associated with higher parental self-efficacy
Summary
Parental Self-Efficacy in Managing Adolescent Internet Use. Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their capacity to perform behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments [1,2,3]. Parental self-efficacy refers to a parent’s belief in their competence to perform the parenting role successfully and foster their children’s positive development and adjustment [4]. Higher levels of parental self-efficacy are related to more positive parenting practices and adaptive/nurturing child-rearing environment, which in turn leads to lower levels of adolescents’ externalizing problems [5] and overall parent and child well-being [4]. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5768; doi:10.3390/ijerph17165768 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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