Parenting Style and Internet Addiction Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Interpersonal Relationships Problems
Description
This dataset was collected to examine the relationships among parenting style, interpersonal relationship problems, and Internet addiction among Chinese college students. Guided by attachment theory, Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPAR), and a broader relational perspective informed by Fromm’s theory of alienation, the study proposed that parenting style would be significantly associated with Internet addiction and that interpersonal relationship problems would mediate this association. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 601 college students recruited from universities in Guangdong Province, China. Participants completed standardized self-report questionnaires assessing parenting style, interpersonal relationship problems, and Internet addiction. Parenting style was assessed separately for paternal and maternal dimensions. Exploratory factor analyses supported the categorization of parenting dimensions into positive parenting style (emotional warmth and favoring) and negative parenting style (rejection, severe punishment, overprotection, and over-interference). Interpersonal relationship problems were measured using a validated interpersonal relationship scale, and Internet addiction was assessed using a standardized Chinese Internet addiction measure. The data showed that positive parenting style was negatively associated with interpersonal relationship problems and Internet addiction, whereas negative parenting style was positively associated with interpersonal relationship problems and Internet addiction. Interpersonal relationship problems were positively associated with Internet addiction. Mediation analyses further indicated that interpersonal relationship problems fully mediated the relationship between positive parenting style and Internet addiction, whereas partial mediation was observed for negative parenting style. One notable finding was the differential mediation pattern between positive and negative parenting styles. The findings suggest that positive parenting may reduce Internet addiction primarily through promoting healthier interpersonal functioning, whereas negative parenting may influence Internet addiction through both interpersonal and additional psychological pathways. The data may be useful for researchers studying youth mental health, problematic Internet use, parenting practices, interpersonal functioning, and psychosocial adjustment among college students. The dataset may also support future comparative, cross-cultural, or longitudinal research examining psychosocial mechanisms underlying problematic Internet use. In addition, the findings may inform family-based interventions, school counseling programs, and Internet addiction prevention strategies targeting young adults.