PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT INTERNET USE, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING, AND PARENTING STYLE

Abstract

There is minimal research that investigates how, and to what degree, children’s and adolescents’ problematic internet use (PIU) can be predicted by core neurocognitive processes and parents’ parenting styles. To address this, the current study investigated how PIU was predicted by two core dimensions of executive functioning (EF), namely, inhibition and working memory, and Diana Baumrind’s three parenting styles. Results indicated inhibition and working memory each separately predicted PIU. Moreover, working memory predicted PIU to a greater degree. This suggests that the core EF skills needed to hold information in mind and restrain behavior are important to regulating internet behavior. This study did not find a relationship between parenting styles and PIU. These findings contribute to PIU and EF research by utilizing an EF dimensional approach on a non-clinical US sample of children and adolescents.