Uncovering the Links Between Problematic Smartphone Usage and Subjective Vitality: The Role of Mindful Parenting and Parenting Stress

Abstract

In recent years, scientific research has increasingly focused on the relationship between parents' mobile phone usage and parenting. As smartphones have become pervasive among parents, concerns have arisen regarding how this usage might influence parenting practices and well-being. Therefore, studies that examine the relationship between parents' technology usage-particularly smartphone usage-and their well-being and parenting practices are of significant value. Such research can provide deeper insights into how technology shapes family dynamics and parental roles over time. Our research aimed to investigate the relationships among problematic smartphone usage, mindful parenting, parenting stress, and subjective vitality. The study involved a cross-lagged panel design with two waves of longitudinal research, and parents with at least one child between the ages of 1 and 14 participated. The results revealed that problematic smartphone use has a negative correlation with mindful parenting and subjective vitality, while it has a positive correlation with parenting stress. Serial mediation analysis showed that mindful parenting and parenting stress, both longitudinally and sequentially, mediate the relationship between problematic smartphone usage and subjective vitality. These findings suggest that problematic smartphone use adversely affects parents' well-being by increasing stress and reducing mindful engagement in parenting. Interventions focusing on reducing problematic smartphone use and enhancing mindful parenting practices may improve parental well-being and reduce stress.