Predicting Adolescents’ Problematic Social Media Use From Profiles of Internet-Specific Parenting Practices and General Parenting Dimensions

Abstract

Although both Internet-specific and general parenting have been linked to adolescents’ problematic social media use, until now they have been investigated as separate predictors of this behavior. As specific parenting practices occur in the broader general parenting context, this study examined how different Internet-specific parenting practices (Internet-specific rule setting, reactive restrictions towards Internet use, and co-use) and general parenting dimensions (responsiveness and autonomy-granting) co-occur, and act together in predicting adolescents’ problematic social media use. Four-wave data of 400 adolescents (T1: M age = 13.51 years, SD = 2.15, 54% girls) were used. Latent profile analysis identified three parenting profiles: Limiting and less supportive (13.5%), Tolerant and supportive (25.5%), and Limiting and supportive (60.8%). Membership to Tolerant and supportive predicted lower scores on prospective problematic social media use than membership to the other profiles. Besides, membership to Limiting and supportive predicted lower scores on problematic social media use than membership to Limiting and less supportive. No robust moderation effects of adolescents’ age and gender were found. These findings suggest that a supportive general parenting context rather than Internet use restrictions should be the focus when considering the prevention of adolescents’ problematic social media use.