Interpersonal Problems Research Articles

Relationship between College Students’ Emotional Cognition Clarity and Interpersonal Relationship Problems: Dual Mediation Effect of Ability to Empathize and Cognitive Flexibility

Relationship between College Students’ Emotional Cognition Clarity and Interpersonal Relationship Problems: Dual Mediation Effect of Ability to Empathize and Cognitive Flexibility

Research on the Integration and Development of University Civic and Political Education and Mental Health Education

In today's society, college students face complex and changing social environments and academic pressure, and these challenges directly affect their mental health. Mental health problems have become a common point of concern among college student groups, manifesting themselves as anxiety, depression, interpersonal problems, and other aspects of distress. Against this background, the importance of Civic Education and Mental Health Education has been highlighted as a key factor in the growth of students. Starting from the mental health challenges faced by college students, this paper discusses in depth the importance of Civic and Political Education and Mental Health Education, as well as the integration and development of the two in university education. Through the analysis of relevant theories and practical cases, it aims to provide useful insights for building a more comprehensive and effective education system for college students.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL CHALLENGES FACED BY SENIOR CITIZENS –CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

The geriatric population of India keeps increasing because of medical advancements in ageing. The senior citizens face lot of psycho-social challenges which includes rejection by their own children, various forms of abuses, loneliness, being uncared of their illnesses and left unloved. The list goes on. The researcher selected a specific Old age home in Madurai, to study the psycho-social challenges faced by the Senior Citizens inspite of providing them food, clothing and shelter along with medical needs they require. The researcher adopted Explanatory Case Study design put forth by Robert K Yin (2003) and did the case study among two cases. The case study analysis was done by the researcher and the case study is presented using Brian Budgell (2008) methodology for the case study presentation. Interview was the technique used by the researcher to collect data. It was found that the cases were having interpersonal relationship problem, adjustmental problem, health issues like hyper tension and diabetes, Social isolation, forgetfulness and decrease in hearing ability. The researcher suggests through the case study analysis, to help senior citizens feel better by providing proper caregivers, enhancing family support and by adopting certain social work interventions to reduce their stress.

The characteristics of suicide attempters in Chinese patients: Comparison of adolescents, youths, middle-aged and elderly

BackgroundPotential risk factors for suicide differ by age group. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of patients with suicide attempts according to age group and any the relevant risk factors. MethodsThis study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of attempted suicide patients who were admitted to the emergency departments (ED) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Demographic information and clinical characteristics were collected. The participants were divided into four age groups and the characteristics of each group were compared. ResultsA total of 834 participants were included in this study. Suicide attempts were more prevalent in females, and the gender difference decreased with age. Having religious belief and less educated suicide attempts were concentrated in the elderly groups. Adolescents suicide attempts were more likely to occur in the spring, autumn and during non-office hours. Mental disorders were the major motivation for suicide among adolescents, and interpersonal and social problems were more prevalent among youths. Psychiatric medication was the leading suicidal substances among adolescents, while pesticides and herbicides were more prevalent in adults. The history of psychiatric diagnosis was more common in adolescents, while the history of somatic disorder was more prevalent in the elderly. ConclusionThis study confirmed differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in different age groups. Therefore, it is necessary to construct individualized intervention strategies for each age group based on the characteristics of the patients in order to reduce suicide.

성인 초기 대상자의 내현적 자기애와 대인관계문제의 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine whether self-compassion and self-silencing had mediating effects on the relationship between covert narcissism and interpersonal problems. Methods The participants in this study were 454 early adults between the ages of 18 and 39 years. They were asked to complete the self-report questionnaires: Covert Narcissism Scale(CNS), Short Form of the KIIP Circumplex scales(KIIP-SC), Silencing The Self Scale(STSS), and the Korean version of the Self-Compassion Scale(K-SCS). Results First, covert narcissism, interpersonal problems, self-compassion and self-silencing all showed sig-nificant correlations. Covert narcissism, self-silencing, and interpersonal problems all showed positive relation-ships, Self-compassion showed negative relationships with the other three variables. Second, the mediation ef-fect of self-silencing between covert narcissism and interpersonal problems was significant, but not the media-tion effect of self-compassion. Third, in the relationship between covert narcissism and interpersonal problems, self-compassion and self-silencing showed dual mediating effects. Conclusions Finally, the clinical implications and limitations of this study were discussed.

대학생의 불안 애착과 SNS 중독 경향성 간의 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the sequential mediating effect of fear of missing out(FoMO) and interpersonal problems on the relationship between college students' anxious attachment and SNS addiction tendencies.
 Methods An online survey was conducted on 275 college students, and SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0 programs were used to analyze the relationship and mediation between the variables and their sequential mediating effect.
 Results First, the fear of missing out did not have a significant mediating effect on the relationship between anx-ious attachment and SNS addiction tendencies. Second, interpersonal problems had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between anxious attachment and SNS addiction tendencies. Third, the sequential mediating effect of fear of missing out and interpersonal problems on the relationship between anxious attachment and SNS addiction tendencies was significant.
 Conclusions The fear of missing out as experienced by college students with anxious attachment leads to inter-personal problems, which tend to result in SNS addition. The significance and implications of the study were pre-sented, and the limitations and the direction of subsequent research were discussed based on the findings.

대학생의 완벽주의적 자기제시가 외로움에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between perfectionistic self-presentation and loneliness of university students, and to explore moderating effect of self-concept clarity on the process. Methods To verify this, the survey was conducted on 388 university students through RUKS, PSPS-K, SCCS. Results The results of this study include the followings. First, perfectionistic self-presentation showed a positive correlation with loneliness. The self-concept clarity had negative correlation with perfectionistic self-pre-sentation, loneliness. Second, the negative effects of perfectionistic self-presentation on loneliness have been buffered by self-concept clarity. Third, under the condition where self-concept clarity is high, loneliness de-creases as ‘perfectionistic self promotion’ increase. And as the level of self-concept clarity increase, the influence of ‘nondisplay of imperfection’ and ‘nondisclosure of imperfection’ on loneliness lessened. Conclusions This study suggested that even if there is a perfectionistic self-presentation characteristic, if the self-concept is clear, it can not only be a protective factor against loneliness, but also an adaptive strategy of inter-personal relationships if the functional aspects of the perfectionistic self-presentation’s sub-factors are utilized. Furthermore, it suggests that even in everyday scenes, individuals can independently overcome interpersonal problems by clearly understanding themselves.

Epidemiology and Related Factors of Internet Addiction with Emphasizing the Role of Feeling Loneliness and Interpersonal Problems in University Students

Background: Internet addiction is recognized as a global public health issue, with high prevalence among medical students. The identification of risk factors related to Internet addiction is crucial for reducing its prevalence and severity. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the epidemiology and related factors to Internet addiction, emphasizing the role of feeling loneliness and interpersonal problems. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in 2022, involving 414 students from the Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Young’s Internet addiction questionnaire, along with the assessments of interpersonal problems and loneliness, was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics (including correlation coefficients and hierarchical regression) were applied using SPSS software (version 22), with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Results: All students had internet addiction; nevertheless, the majority (82.4%) of them were in the range of mild addiction, and none of them had severe Internet addiction. The average score of Internet addiction was 51.59 (4.77), which shows moderate Internet addiction among students. Internet addiction had a positive and significant relationship with students’ lodging (dormitory), feelings of loneliness, and interpersonal problems; however, there was no correlation with age, gender, marital status, major, and academic year. Conclusions: The prevalence of Internet addiction was significantly higher in the present study than in previous studies, serving as a critical warning for health practitioners and planners. Notably, the highest level of addiction observed was at a mild level, necessitating early intervention to prevent further escalation. Considering the correlation between Internet addiction and students’ lodging (dormitory), feelings of loneliness, and interpersonal problems, it is imperative to explore alternative activities within dormitories and provide regular psychological counseling for the early detection of these issues.

Triarchic traits as risk versus protective factors for ADHD symptomatology: A prospective longitudinal investigation.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are associated with myriad adverse outcomes, including interpersonal difficulties, but factors that moderate the developmental course and functional impact of ADHD over time are not well understood. The present study evaluated developmental contributions of the triarchic neurobehavioral traits (boldness, meanness, and disinhibition) to ADHD symptomatology and its subdimensions from adolescence to young adulthood. Participants were twins and triplets assessed at ages 14, 17, and 19 (initial N = 1,185, 51.2% female). Path analyses using negative binomial regression revealed that boldness at age 14 was associated with more ADHD symptoms cross-sectionally (especially hyperactivity/impulsivity), but fewer symptoms (especially inattention) at age 19 in the prospective analysis. Notably, inclusion of interpersonal problems at ages 14 and 17 as covariates reduced the latter effect to nonsignificant. Disinhibition concurrently and prospectively predicted higher levels of ADHD symptoms, including both subdimensions, and the prospective effects were partially mediated by greater social impairment at age 17. Meanness prospectively (but not concurrently) predicted higher levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Sex moderated certain associations of meanness and disinhibition with ADHD symptoms. These findings highlight how fundamental neurobehavioral traits shape both psychopathology and adaptive outcomes in the developmental course of ADHD.

Perceptions of Suicide among Pakistanis: Results of an Online Survey

Objective In Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim country, information on the patterning of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as associated public perceptions and opinions, is limited. We sought to advance knowledge on suicide and self-harm in Pakistan with a large, online survey. Method Leveraging results from a twelve-item online survey (N = 5,157) circulated by the largest English language newspaper in Pakistan, we assessed personal experiences, opinions, and attitudes toward help-seeking in the context of suicide. We calculated proportions with 95% confidence intervals for endorsed responses and implemented binomial generalized linear models with odds ratios to assess differing response tendencies by age, gender, and urban/rural residence. Results Personal experiences related to suicide and self-harm as well as encounters in social circles were common. Mental illness tended to be recognized as a high likelihood contributor to suicide death over and above nonviolent interpersonal problems. Most considered suicide a way to escape pain, and few considered suicide to be immoral. Barriers to help-seeking included social deterrents, inaccessibility, and unaffordability. Women and youth emerged as higher risk groups, though the status of rural Pakistanis remained unclear. Conclusion The survey provides a preliminary basis for considering the unique experiences and perspectives of the public in shaping suicide prevention and intervention efforts in Pakistan.

Hostile attributional biases in severe alcohol use disorder: replication, gender specificity, and mechanistic insights.

Despite their importance in the emergence and persistence of severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD), social cognition impairments remain understudied in this population. Hostile attributional biases (HAB), a key component of social cognition, may be involved in interpersonal problems and SAUD maintenance. However, current evidence for HAB in SAUD is highly preliminary, as it relies on a single study based on a small sample and on a task that cannot dissociate increased hostile from reduced benign attributions. We therefore used an improved methodology to further characterize this bias and disentangle underlying mechanisms. In addition, we explored potential gender differences. A total of 56 patients (28 women) diagnosed with SAUD and 66 (27 women) demographically matched controls completed the Word-Sentence Association Paradigm-Hostility, which provides a valid, spontaneous, and relatively implicit assessment of both hostile and benign social attributions related to ambiguous situations. They also completed self-report measures of psychopathology and interpersonal problems. At the group-level, patients with SAUD presented higher HAB than controls, without group differences for benign attributions. Gender analyses revealed that this effect selectively emerged in men with SAUD. Further, patients' benign attributions did not differ from their hostile attributions. Finally, HAB (not benign attributions) were associated with interpersonal problems and state anxiety in patients. The association between SAUD and HAB at the group level is genuine and replicable across samples and tasks. This association may further selectively emerge in men. Our results also confirm the functional significance of HAB in SAUD, and point to potential mechanisms and clinical recommendations.

Predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes in phase-based treatment and trauma-focused treatments in patients with childhood abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder

ABSTRACT Background: Knowledge of treatment predictors and moderators is important for improving the effectiveness of treatment for PTSD due to childhood abuse. Objective: The first aim of this study was to test the potential predictive value of variables commonly associated with PTSD resulting from a history of repeated childhood abuse, in relation to treatment outcomes. The second aim was to examine if complex PTSD symptoms act as potential moderators between treatment conditions and outcomes. Method: Data were obtained from a randomized controlled trial comparing a phase-based treatment (Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation [STAIR] followed by Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing [EMDR] therapy; n = 57) with a direct trauma-focused treatment (EMDR therapy only; n = 64) in people with PTSD due to childhood abuse. The possible predictive effects of the presence of borderline personality disorder, dissociative symptoms, and suicidal and self-injurious behaviours were examined. In addition, it was determined whether symptoms of emotion regulation difficulties, self-esteem, and interpersonal problems moderated the relation between the treatment condition and PTSD post-treatment, corrected for pre-treatment PTSD severity. Results: Pre-treatment PTSD severity proved to be a significant predictor of less profitable PTSD treatment outcomes. The same was true for the severity of dissociative symptoms, but only post-treatment, and not when corrected for false positives. Complex PTSD symptoms did not moderate the relationship between the treatment conditions and PTSD treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The current findings suggest that regardless of the common comorbid symptoms studied, immediate trauma-focused treatment is a safe and effective option for individuals with childhood-related PTSD. However, individuals experiencing severe symptoms of PTSD may benefit from additional treatment sessions or the addition of other evidence-based PTSD treatment approaches. The predictive influence of dissociative sequelae needs further research. The study design was registered in The Dutch trial register (https://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC = 5991) NTR5991 and was approved by the medical ethics committee of Twente NL 56641.044.16 CCMO.

Effects of Impulsivity and Interpersonal Problems on Adolescent Depression: A Cross-Lagged Study.

The dynamic changes over time in the relationships between impulsivity, interpersonal problems, and depression warrant further exploration. This study delves into the roles of impulsivity and interpersonal issues in the progression of adolescent depression over a year, using a sample of 271 Chinese adolescents (51.7% male, Mage = 12.60 ± 0.69). At three time points, impulsivity levels were assessed with the Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, interpersonal problems with the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List, and depression with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Results revealed that both impulsivity and interpersonal problems serve as risk factors for depression, but the primary risk factor shifted over time. In early middle school stages, impulsivity was the predominant risk factor, while in later stages, interpersonal problems became the primary risk factor. These findings carry significant implications for directing prevention efforts and interventions for adolescent depression.

Effectiveness of a blended school-based mindfulness program for the prevention of co-rumination and internalizing problems in Dutch secondary school girls: a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundA growing body of literature indicates that adolescent girls who talk with close friends about interpersonal problems or worries in an excessive, speculative way, and with an intense focus on distress (i.e., co-rumination) are at heightened risk for developing internalizing symptoms and disorders as well as reduced friendship quality. However, to date, there are no prevention programs available that target high levels of co-rumination between adolescent girls. As such, we developed the blended school-based mindfulness prevention program Happy Friends, Positive Minds (HFPM) that targets co-rumination at the dyadic level, i.e., between two close female friends. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of HFPM to reduce co-rumination and internalizing problems and to enhance wellbeing and social-emotional behavior in Dutch adolescent girls.MethodsA cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) will be conducted to evaluate HFPM effectiveness. We will recruit 160 female friendship dyads (n = 320 girls) aged 13 to 15 years who will be characterized by high levels of self-reported co-rumination. The cRCT has two arms: (1) an intervention condition in which 160 girls (80 friendship dyads) will receive the 14-week HFPM program in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025, and (2) a control condition in which 160 girls (80 dyads) will receive care-as-usual (CAU) in two consecutive cohorts (cohort 1 in academic year 2023/2024 and cohort 2 in academic year 2024/2025). Data will be collected at baseline (T0), during the program (T1;T2; T3), immediately after the program (T4), and at 1-year follow-up (T5). Participant-level self-reported risk for (early onset) depression and anxiety, self-reported and observed co-rumination, self- and friend-reported friendship quality, self-reported positive and negative affect, self-reported interpersonal responses to positive affect, and self-reported anhedonia symptoms will be the outcome variables.DiscussionThis study will provide insights into the short-term and long-term effects of the HFPM program on girls’ internalizing problems, wellbeing, and social-emotional behavior.Trial registrationInternational Standard Randomized Controlled Trials, identifier: ISRCTN54246670. Registered on 27 February 2023.

Depressive disorders in children with chronic kidney disease treated conservatively.

Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience a lot of mental and emotional stress, which can lead to the development of depressive disorders. The prevalence of depressive disorders in CKD children is estimated to be between 7% and 35%. The aim of our study was to analyze the prevalence and characteristics of depression and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with CKD treated conservatively. The cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in 73 CKD children aged 8-18 and in 92 of their parents. To assess the mental wellbeing of CKD children, Kovacs's Children's Depression Inventory 2 (CDI2) was used as CDI2: Self-Report and CDI2: Parent Form. The majority of CKD children acquired medium scores in CDI2, 11% of participants reported symptoms suggesting depressive disorder, and among them 8.2% met the criteria for depression. A significant relationship was found between age and interpersonal problems, age at CKD diagnosis, and total score and ineffectiveness, CKD duration and total score/emotional problems. Depressive symptoms were associated with the stage of CKD, and they differed significantly between stages III and IV. We noticed the child-parent disagreement on reported depressive symptoms. Parents perceive their children's mental state as worse than the children themselves. There is a problem of depression in children with CKD treated conservatively. Variables associated with depressive symptoms in CKD children treated conservatively require further study. Key factors predisposing to the development of depression seem to be age at the time of diagnosis, disease duration, and progression of CKD from stage III to IV. Disparities between depressive symptoms self-reported by CKD children and their parents' assessment require further analysis. However, these disparaties indicate that the final diagnosis of the occurrence of depressive disorders should be based on a multidimensional assessment of the patient's situation.

Catching a (sine) wave: Temporal dynamics of nonverbal synchrony in social anxiety disorder

Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) experience a range of interpersonal problems and studies have found that nonverbal synchrony (the coordination between interaction partners’ movements) may be impaired in dyads in which one individual has SAD (Asher et al., 2020). In the present study, we examined the temporal dynamics of nonverbal synchrony during “getting aquatinted” conversations of individuals with and without SAD. Specifically, participants (n = 146) formed either SAD dyads (dyads in which one individual had SAD and the other did not; n = 37 dyads), or control dyads (dyads in which both individuals did not have SAD; n = 36 dyads). Dyads were randomized to either small talk or closeness-generating (i.e., intimate) conversations. We found that during conversations, nonverbal synchrony followed a repeating pattern of increases and decreases that was best modeled by a sinusoidal wave (explained variance = 63.74 %). We found significant Diagnosis × Social Context interactions in the temporal dynamics of nonverbal synchrony (i.e., in the parameters of sine waves). Specifically, we found that for SAD dyads (but not control dyads), the average sine wave amplitude which indicates increases and decreases in nonverbal synchrony was greater during small talk conversations compared to closeness-generating conversations. In addition, we found that among control dyads (but not SAD dyads), the average vertical offset of sine waves (i.e., the average level of nonverbal synchrony) during closeness-generating conversations was greater compared to small talk conversations. The findings are interpreted within the context of the social anxiety literature as capturing two distinct social-anxiety related processes, and suggest that when examined temporally (rather than averaged), nonverbal synchrony may be an important implicit biomarker of SAD.

Adolescent Well Being: Positive Vs Autocratic School Culture

Reinforcing positive characteristics and minimizing individual weaknesses is what practice of Positive Psychology should be aimed at. In this study, an investigator has analyzed the effect of Indian Values Based-Positive-Encouraging Vs Highly Disciplined-Autocratic School Culture on Adolescent Psychopathology. Randomly selected 220 adolescent (Boys & Girls) students (Mean Age = 14.2 years) from two Day-Boarding Schools of Nagpur, Maharashtra were assigned to Between Group Design. They were administered Adolescent Psychopathology Scale (short form) by Dr. William Rynolds which consist of 12 clinical scales focused on DSM-IV symptomatology. Data collected was analyzed to find out the major areas of psychopathology in adolescents belonging to different type of school cultures. It has been found that adolescent students from Highly Disciplined-Autocratic School Culture are significantly higher on Conduct Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Eating Disorder, Depression, Interpersonal Problems and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. These results indicate towards the need of cultivating positive culture at Institutional level and inculcating Human Strengths and Virtues in upcoming generation for better prospects. Investigator believes that this study suggests insightful ways of developing and practicing competent avenues to fulfill the basic endeavor of Education.

The Relationship Between Interpersonal Stress and Internet Usage among Adolescents

In recent years, the problems focusing on interpersonal stress of teenagers and internet usage become a hit. During adolescence, gender differences, biological changes, and social-emotional development have a significant impact on pubertal development as well as interpersonal stress. For example, females have a obviously higher need for companionship and interpersonal interaction. They use social media more frequently, and they are at higher risk of being victimized by their peers, which exacerbates their high rates of depression and interpersonal stress, leading them to rely on the internet as well. The growth of the internet and social media also deepens comparisons between people. For example, body shame, where adolescents continue to enhance content when they receive compliments and overly pander to make themselves look perfect when they receive dissatisfaction, can, to some extent, increase their anxiety and cause disturbances in their psychological development. Similarly, positive online bloggers who post videos can be inspiring, but posting about negativity or venting about reality can make immature teens more prone to depression and anxiety and further derivation into internet addiction, leading to depression and interpersonal problems. In this article, the relationship between interpersonal interactions and internet use is explored.

Stress begets stress: The moderating role of childhood adversity in the relationship between job stress and sleep quality among nurses

Nurses exhibit considerable variations in sleep quality and experience high job stress levels. Distal factors, such as childhood adversity, and proximal factors, both influence sleep quality. We investigated the moderating role of childhood adversity with job stress and sleep quality, and whether this aligns with the stress-sensitization or stress-amplification models. The impact of job stressors' total score and its dimensions on sleep quality was analyzed using traditional linear regression models and the extreme gradient boosting machine learning algorithm. The hierarchical regression examined the moderating role of childhood adversity in the relationship between job stress and sleep quality. An interactive tool was used to visualize the results. Among the dimensions of job stress, "time allocation and workload" strongly correlated with sleep quality, followed by "nursing profession and work problems," "patient care issues," "management and interpersonal problems," and "working environment and equipment problems." The moderating role of childhood adversity in the relationship between different dimensions of job stressors (except working environment and equipment problems) and sleep quality aligns with the stress-sensitization model. This study was susceptible to recall bias and objective sleep data were unavailable. Cross-sectional study design was used, thus limiting causal inferences. Finally, the moderating effect of childhood adversity on subsequent stress among nurses remains unclear. Childhood adversity and job stress were integrated into a stress-sensitization model, providing a nuanced and specific examination of sleep quality. Healthcare policymakers should focus on job stress and childhood adversity, improve nurses' sleep quality, and ultimately benefit patient care and outcomes.

Relationship between parenting style and internet addiction: Interpersonal relationship problem as a mediator and gender as a moderator

PurposeThis study assessed the moderating effect of gender on the indirect effects of positive and negative parenting styles on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. MethodsA cross-sectional survey of randomly sampled 1194 college students recruited voluntarily from three universities in China was conducted to assess the variables of positive and negative parenting styles, interpersonal relationship problem, and Internet addiction. ResultsPositive parenting style, such as emotional warmth, was a protective factor for the development of Internet addiction, whereas negative parenting style, such as rejection and overprotection, was a potential risk factor for Internet addiction. Furthermore, interpersonal relationship problem completely mediated the association between positive parenting style and Internet addiction but partially mediated the relationship between negative parenting style and Internet addiction. Finally, gender moderated the indirect effect of parenting style on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. ConclusionThe correlation between positive parenting style and interpersonal relationship problem was considerably weaker among females, whereas the association between interpersonal relationship problem and Internet addiction was much stronger among females. For the prevention and intervention of Internet addiction, it is important to increase positive parenting style for males while enhancing interpersonal skills training for females. Further longitudinal studies should discuss the effects of paternal and maternal parenting styles on Internet addiction.