Parental Burnout and Internet Addiction among College Students: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Regulatory Role of Willpower Control
Hao Chen, Wenxian Wang, Haiming WangAbstract
Objectives
Today's university students are heavily dependent on the Internet. They are almost never without their mobile phones and are constantly using their devices, even in their dormitories. The phenomenon of internet addiction among college students has always been a key concern for society and schools. Based on self-determination theory, this paper discusses the impact mechanism of parental burnout on Internet addiction among college students, explores the mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction and the moderating role of willpower control.
Methods
Using cluster sampling method, 560 college students and their parents were randomly selected as the research subjects. Parents filled out the Parenting Burnout Scale, while college students filled out the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale, Internet Addiction Scale, and Willpower Control Scale. Finally, 514 valid data sets were obtained. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, and a moderated mediation effect test was conducted using the Process macro program.
Results
The results showed that parental burnout can significantly positively predict college students' internet addiction, and the three dimensions of basic psychological needs satisfaction (relatedness, autonomy, competence) all play a mediating role between the two. Moreover, willpower control can regulate the impact path of basic psychological needs satisfaction on internet addiction - low willpower control college students have a higher risk of internet addiction.
Conclusions
This paper reveals the transmission mechanism of parental burnout inducing internet addiction by weakening basic psychological needs satisfaction, as well as the buffering effect of willpower control, providing theoretical basis and empirical support for preventing internet addiction in college students from the perspectives of family intervention and individual resource construction.
Corresponding Author
Wenxian Wang, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China.