Emerging Impact of Parental Internet Addiction on Adolescent Internet Use: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

Abstract

The escalating global concern about internet addiction (IA) in adolescents has driven the necessity to investigate its predictors and their potential effects on youth development. We used a novel methodological approach to facilitate this research and assessed IA in parents and adolescents across five countries - GCC countries, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and the UK. A total of 1,530 participants completed surveys evaluating parental internet addiction, monitoring practices, and adolescent IA symptoms. We found striking evidence that parental internet addiction, adolescent involvement in non-essential online activities, and frequent arguments between parents and children were significant predictors of adolescent IA. Our data suggest similar socio-psychological mechanisms underlying the development of IA in adolescents across various cultural contexts. Contrary to earlier assumptions, parental monitoring of time spent online did not predict IA, suggesting that simply regulating screen time may be insufficient to reduce IA in youth. Instead, tight corresponding symptoms of IA in parent and their adolescents indicate the need for family-centred interventions to mitigate IA risks.