The Relationship Between Parental Attachment and Mobile Phone Dependence Among Chinese Rural Adolescents: The Role of Alexithymia and Mindfulness.

Xiaoqing Li,Chenrui Hao

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00598

Abstract

Mobile phone has experienced a significant increase in popularity among adolescents in recent years. Findings indicate dependence on mobile phone is related to poor parent-child relationship. However, previous research on mobile phone dependence (MPD) is scant and mainly focus on adult samples. In this view, the present study investigated the association between parental attachment and MPD as well as its influence mechanism, in sample of adolescents in rural China. Data were collected from three middle schools in rural areas of Jiangxi and Hubei Province (N = 693, 46.46% female, Mage = 14.88, SD = 1.77). Participants completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the twenty-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Mobile Phone Addiction Index Scale (MPAI). Among the results, parental attachment negatively predicted MPD and alexithymia were exerting partial mediation effect between parental attachment and MPD. Further, mindfulness acted as moderator of the relationship between alexithymia and MPD: The negative impact of alexithymia on MPD was weakened under the condition of high level of mindfulness. Knowledge of this mechanism could be useful for understanding adolescents’ MPD in terms of the interaction of multiple factors.

Highlights

Mobile phone dependence (MPD) refers to an excessive indulgence to activities related to mobile phones, accompanied by eagerness and a strong and continuous dependence on mobile phones, which results in loss of self-control and compromised psychological and social functioning among individuals (Yen et al, 2009; Seo et al, 2016; Liu et al, 2018)
The correlation analysis showed that MPD was negatively correlated with parental attachment and mindfulness, and Gender Age Parental attachment Alexithymia Mindfulness MPD
It indicates that when the adolescents had poorer parental attachment and weaker mindfulness, they were more likely to have severe alexithymia and MPD

Summary

Introduction

Mobile phone dependence (MPD) refers to an excessive indulgence to activities related to mobile phones, accompanied by eagerness and a strong and continuous dependence on mobile phones, which results in loss of self-control and compromised psychological and social functioning among individuals (Yen et al, 2009; Seo et al, 2016; Liu et al, 2018). MPD in adolescence result from a complex interplay of multiple individual and social risk factors (Billieux, 2012; Choliz, 2012). Research found that individual factors, such as personality. More research is needed to provide empirical evidence on the special contributions and the interplay of the various internal and external factors, so that a more integrated understanding about MPD in adolescence can be represented

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