Relationships among maternal perceptions, parenting stress and children’s overindulgence in smart devices: The mediating role of co-use
AUTHOR : 안수빈, 홍예지, 박영아, 이강이
INFORMATION : page. 185~205 / 2020 Vol.27 No.1
ABSTRACT
As smart devices become more widespread, young children can easily access these devices and become proficient users. The purpose of this study is to examine the contributions of mothers’ perceptions toward smart devices and parenting stress regarding their children’s overindulgence in smart devices. Furthermore, this study explored the mediating role of parents’ co-use of smart devices among these relationships. Our data were collected from 262 Korean mothers who had a child aged less than 36 months old who have ever used smart devices. Results from a structural equation modeling analysis indicated that maternal parenting stress was directly related to children’s overindulgence. Moreover, mothers’ perceptions toward smart devices were indirectly related to children’s overindulgence through co-use. In other words, mothers who have positive perceptions of smart devices are more likely to let their child use smart devices alone, which in turn is associated with children’s overindulgence in smart devices. These findings suggest the importance of parental education about the consequences of smart devices use for young children and the roles of parents when their child uses such a devices.