Parenting styles and smartphone dependence among college students: the serial mediating roles of self-control and gratitude

Abstract

Background Smartphone dependence among college students has become an increasingly important concern because of its associations with physical and mental health and academic functioning. Parenting styles, as a core component of the family microsystem, may exert enduring influences on psychological and behavioral development. However, the psychological mechanisms linking parenting styles to smartphone dependence remain insufficiently understood. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and smartphone dependence among college students, and to examine the serial mediating roles of self-control and gratitude. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, involving 776 Chinese college students. Measurements were conducted using the Parenting Styles Questionnaire, Smartphone Addiction Index, Self-Control Scale, and Gratitude Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and the PROCESS macro for correlation analysis, regression analysis, and serial mediation effect testing. Results Parental rejection and overprotection significantly positively predicted smartphone dependence, while the direct effect of emotional warmth was not significant. Both self-control and gratitude played significant mediating roles between parenting styles and smartphone dependence. A significant serial mediating effect was observed along the path “parenting styles influence self-control, which shapes gratitude and subsequently affects smartphone dependence,” with effect sizes ranging between 2.3 and 2.4%. Conclusion Parenting styles were associated with college students’ smartphone dependence through a serial pathway involving self-control and gratitude. Positive parenting dimensions were associated with stronger self-control and gratitude, whereas negative parenting dimensions were associated with weaker psychological resources and greater smartphone dependence. These findings provide a theoretical basis for future research and may inform family- and self-regulation-oriented interventions.