Parent–Child Relationship and Child Social Competence: The Chain Mediating Effect of Parents’ Awareness of Digital Parenting and Child Digital Game Addiction

Abstract

One of the most up-to-date and important duties of digital parents is not to ignore the benefits of digital games, which children frequently and zealously use, but to be aware of the harm, and to raise awareness and guide children in this regard. The aim of this study is to investigate the chain mediating effect of parents’ awareness of digital parenting and digital game addiction on the relationships between parent–child and child social competence. Random sampling was used to recruit participants. The study included 480 parents who completed the measures. Digital parenting awareness, social competence in children, and parent–child relationships were considered as variables that directly affect digital game addiction in children. A significant negative relationship was found between digital parenting awareness and digital game addiction. There is a significant negative relationship between social competence and digital game addiction in children. It has been determined that the parent–child relationship directly affects the social competence of the children positively, and the social competence of the children negatively affects digital game addiction. It is concluded that digital game addiction in children has a significant and negative effect on parent–child relationships and social competence in children, directly and indirectly. Parent–child relationships are an important part of the family relationship and a key factor in triggering digital game addiction in adolescents and children. Therefore, improving the quality of parent–child relationships is crucial to reduce excessive media use by children.