The mediation roles of self-regulation and problematic internet use: How maladaptive parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced adolescents' academic procrastination in the postpandemic era

Introduction

In the transition to the postpandemic era, adolescents are working to shift their focus back to school. However, the prevalence of academic procrastination is reflective of that the aftereffects of the pandemic are persisting. Literature documents the increases in the negative parenting behaviors and internet use of adolescents during the pandemic. The excessive internet use has to do with adolescents' self-regulatory capabilities and self-regulation is profoundly shaped by parents' parenting practices. Given the connections among these factors, the present study seeks to understand how maladaptive parenting practices during the pandemic influenced adolescents' academic procrastination postpandemic through the mediation of self-regulation and problematic internet use.

Method

Using three waves of data from a total of 1062 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.9 years old, SD = 1.6, 13−18 years old; 45% female), we used structural equation modeling to examine the direct effect of maladaptive parenting on academic procrastination and its indirect effect via self-regulation and problematic internet use.

Results

Maladaptive parenting during the pandemic did not directly predict adolescent academic procrastination post-pandemic. Yet, maladaptive parenting indirectly influenced academic procrastination both through self-regulation solely and self-regulation and problematic internet use sequentially.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate that parents can contribute to adolescents' academic procrastination by influencing their self-regulation ability, which further impacts their internet use. Self-regulation serves as a robust mediator between parenting and adolescents' problematic behaviors related to internet use and learning. Implications for parents and intervention oriented toward adolescents are discussed.