The Effect of Mother Phubbing on Young Children’s Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Moderated Mediation Model of Mother–Child Attachment and Parenting Stress

Huan Lv, Wenyu Ye, Suiqing Chen (), Hongfeng Zhang and Ruiming Wang ()
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Huan Lv: Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510631, China
Wenyu Ye: School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Suiqing Chen: School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Hongfeng Zhang: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
Ruiming Wang: Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory of Reading and Development in Children and Adolescents (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510631, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-11

Abstract: Phubbing—the act of ignoring someone physically present in favor of a mobile phone—is increasingly prevalent in families, and mothers’ phubbing behaviors may have a particularly important effect on young children’s development. Accordingly, this study explores the mediating role of mother–child attachment in the relationship between mother phubbing and children’s emotional and behavioral problems, as well as the role of maternal parenting stress in moderating the mediation effect. A total of 988 mothers of young children (mean age = 4.93, SD = 0.94) were surveyed using four scales, and the resulting data was statistically analyzed. The study found that (1) mother phubbing was significantly and positively correlated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems ( r = 0.19, p < 0.01), (2) mother–child attachment mediated the relationship between mother phubbing and children’s emotional and behavioral problems, and (3) the relationship between mother–child attachment and children’s emotional and behavioral problems was moderated by maternal parenting stress. The present study offers fresh evidence of how mother phubbing affects young children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties. The need to reduce maternal parental stress and buffer mothers from its effects are highlighted as vital factors in promoting secure mother–child attachment and alleviating young children’s problems.

Keywords: mother phubbing; emotional and behavioral problems; maternal parenting stress; mother–child attachment; young children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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