The Effects of Parental Abuse and Neglect, and Children’s Peer Attachment, on Mobile Phone Dependency

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parental abuse and neglect, as well as that of children's peer attachment, on mobile phone dependency. Data were obtained from the Korean Child-Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS), and the participants were 1,892 (909 boys, 983 girls) elementary students (5th graders) who had a mobile phone. To measure the variables, this study used such scales as the parental abuse and neglect scale, peer attachment scale, and mobile phone dependency scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and structural equation modeling analysis. The results of the study were as follows: First, parental abuse and neglect had direct negative effects on children's peer attachment; that is, the more parental abuse and neglect, the less children's peer attachment. Second, parental abuse and neglect had direct positive effects on mobile phone dependency; that is, the more parental abuse and neglect, the greater children's mobile phone dependency. However, children's peer attachment did not directly affect mobile phone dependency; that is, children's peer attachment did not have a mediating effect between parental abuse and neglect, and mobile phone dependency. In conclusion, parental abuse and neglect influence children's peer attachment and mobile phone dependency. Thus this study showed that parental abuse and neglect, rather than children's peer attachment, affect children's mobile phone dependency.

Effect of Parental Negligence on Mobile Phone Dependency Among Vulnerable Social Groups: Mediating Effect of Peer Attachment

“…Previous studies found that the greater the neglectful parenting attitude of parents, the more their children will come to depend on mobile phones (Chang & Yang, 2015;Woo, 2013). Thus, neglectful parenting attitudes have been found to directly influence the mobile phone dependency; however, we found that isolation has a mediating effect on this relationship.…”

“…In other words, proper nurturing by parents leads to a variety of positive developmental outcomes such as achievement of psychological stability (Crouter & Head, 2002). Children who are not properly nurtured by parents tend to exhibit negative development (Woo, 2013).…”

“…Adolescents' experience of abuse was not only directly related to their level of mobile phone addiction but also indirectly related via depression. Woo (2013) found that awareness of abuse was associated with greater dependence on mobile phones. Specifically, experience of negligence functioned as an antecedent of mobile phone dependency, so the higher the level of parental negligence, the higher the degree of mobile phone dependency.…”

Is the relationship between parental abuse and mobile phone dependency (MPD) contingent across neighborhood characteristics? A multilevel analysis of Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey

“…Hence, it is critical to consider the relational context in which MPD gets formed. In childhood and adolescence, one’s primary relationship is with parents [ 29 ]. As a result, parental abuse, first and foremost, has been recognized as a powerful predictor of children’s dysfunctional development [ 30 ].…”

“…A limited number of studies have examined the influence of abusive parenting style on Korean children’s MCD, albeit with disparate results [ 29 , 34 , 35 ]. Despite the lack of consensus on the exact relationship between the two, it is generally argued that a child with abusive parents is more likely to experience MPD.…”