Screening for Balance: The Relationship between Overparenting, Parental Autonomy Control, Low Self Efficacy, and Social Media Addiction Among Emerging Adults

Over the recent years, social media use has become increasingly prevalent among American adults. While the impact of the rise of social media platforms is ubiquitous, researchers revealed that emerging adults (individuals between 18 and 29 years of age) are more vulnerable to social media addiction than other populations. Theories and research have suggested overparenting as a potential predictor for emerging adults' problematic technology use. Specifically, the theory of emerging adulthood and self-determination theory offer explanations for the detrimental effects of overparenting behavior in the lives of emerging adults, as they seek autonomy and independence at this stage. Further, studies have linked overparenting to emerging adults' internet addiction, as well as game and social media addictive behaviors. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms through which overparenting impacts social media addiction remain understudied in the literature. Therefore, the present study examined the association between overparenting and social media addiction among a sample of emerging adults. Parental autonomy control and low self-efficacy were also assessed as potential mediators for this association. College students (N = 545) completed surveys at three time points over 12 weeks. Structural equation modeling suggested that overparenting was positively related to social media addiction via higher levels of parental autonomy control and lower levels of self-efficacy. Future directions and implications of the present study were provided.

Grantor dc:publisher

Florida State University

Year dc:date

2024

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lee, Tse-Yen (author)
• Cui, Ming, 1971- (professor directing thesis)
• Fincham, Frank D. (committee member)
• Kimmes, Jonathan G. (Jonathan Gene) (committee member)
• Florida State University (degree granting institution)
• College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (degree granting college)
• Department of Human Development and Family Science (degree granting department)

• Developmental psychology

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

fsu:927959
iid: Lee_fsu_0071N_18549

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:diginole.lib.fsu.edu:fsu_927959