Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (5): 1066-1072.

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The Effects of Temperament and Parenting Styles on Problematic Internet Use in Adolescence: Examining Unique and Interaction Effects

1,Zhong-Lin WEN 3,Ren-hao Ren4   

  • Received:2012-03-07 Revised:2013-03-24 Online:2013-09-20 Published:2013-09-20
  • Contact: Zhong-Lin WEN

气质和教养方式对青少年病理性网络的影响:独特与交互效应检验

叶宝娟1,温忠粦2,杨强1,任皓2   

  1. 1. 江西师范大学
    2. 华南师范大学
  • 通讯作者: 温忠粦

Abstract: Nowadays, problematic internet use (PIU) in adolescence is serious. Understanding the antecedents of problematic internet use in adolescence is the precursor of effective prevention and intervention. A large body of literature shows that temperament (sensation seeking and effortful control) and parenting styles (authoritativeness, authoritarianism, and permissiveness) are closely related to PIU in adolescence. Nonetheless, our understanding of the association among these variables is limited in several ways. First, there is a paucity of research that examines the unique effects of temperament and parenting styles on PIU in adolescence. Second, few study examined the interaction effects among temperamental factors on PIU in adolescence. Third, the existing research is not clear whether there are interaction effects between temperamental factors and parenting styles. The purpose of the present study is to investigate: (1) the unique associations of temperament and parenting styles with PIU in adolescence; (2) the interaction effect among temperamental factors on PIU in adolescence; (3) the interaction effects between temperamental factors and parenting styles on PIU in adolescence. A sample of 1312 participants of 6 schools (659 boys and 653 girls, the average of age 13.43) was recruited in the study to complete self-report questionnaires. The self-report questionnaires used in this study included Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire (Revised Version, Short Form), Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, and Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. The results indicated that: (1) sensation seeking, effortful control and authoritarianism parenting were significantly associated with PIU in adolescence, while authoritative parenting and permissive parenting were not significantly associated with PIU in adolescence. (2) the risk effect of sensation seeking on PIU in adolescence was buffered by effortful control. (3) the risk effect of sensation seeking on PIU in adolescence was buffered by authoritative parenting, but enhanced by permissiveness parenting. No other interaction effects were found. These findings underscore the importance of unique effects and interaction effects in understanding the etiology of PIU in adolescence. The theoretical and practical implications of the results were further discussed. First, we should attach importance to the effect of temperament (sensation seeking and effortful control) on PIU in adolescence, and enhance the prevention of temperament. Second, parents should adopt authoritativeness parenting, and avoid adopting permissiveness parenting in order to reduce the effect of sensation seeking on PIU in adolescence. Third, adolescence with low effortful control and high sensation seeking characteristics, low authoritativeness parenting and high sensation seeking characteristics, or high permissiveness parenting and high sensation seeking characteristics are high risk crowd of PIU.

Key words: temperament, parenting styles, problematic internet use, unique effects, interaction effects

摘要: 考察气质(感觉寻求、意志控制)和教养方式(权威、专制、纵容)对青少年病理性网络使用(PIU)的独特效应,以及气质间对青少年PIU的交互效应和气质与教养方式对青少年PIU的交互效应。采用气质问卷、教养方式问卷和青少年PIU问卷,对1312名青少年进行调查。结果显示:(1)意志控制、感觉寻求、专制教养对青少年PIU有独特效应,权威教养、纵容教养对青少年PIU没有独特效应;(2)气质内部交互影响青少年PIU,意志控制缓冲感觉寻求的风险作用。(3)教养方式调节部分气质与青少年PIU的关系,具体为权威教养缓冲感觉寻求的风险作用,纵容教养增强感觉寻求的风险作用。

关键词: 气质, 教养方式, 病理性网络使用, 独特效应, 交互效应