Objective : The primary aim of this study is to explore the association between maternal mobile phone addiction and preschool child neglect in urban areas of China across a large sample range. Methods : A school-based sampling survey and a self-administered questionnaire were used to collect relevant information from 1,126 urban preschool children’s mothers in northern China. Binary logistic regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to determine the significant differences and correlations between maternal mobile phone addiction and preschool child neglect. Results : The prevalence of preschool child neglect in urban areas was 42.3%, and the average degree of child neglect was 43.69 ± 9.34. Besides, the rate of mobile phone addiction for mothers was 45.5%. The prevalence of child neglect for children whose mothers was addicted to mobile phones were considerably higher than for those whose mothers were not addicted, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). The average degree of child neglect for children whose mothers suffered from mobile phone addiction was higher than for those who did not ( P < 0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis confirmed that maternal mobile phone addiction ( OR = 2.510, 95% CI = 1.919 - 3.282) was a risk factor for child neglect. Conclusion : The problem of maternal mobile phone addiction in Chinese urban areas is serious, and it greatly increases the risk of child neglect. Therefore, effective precautions should be taken to protect preschool children from maternal neglect.
KeywordsUrban Preschool ChildrenChild NeglectMaternal Mobile Phone Addiction
Blackman, A. (2015). Screen Time for Parents and Caregivers: Parental Screen Distraction and Parenting Perceptions and Beliefs. Pace University.
Chaiyachati, B. H., & Gur, R. E. (2021). Effect of Child Abuse and Neglect on Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 206, Article ID: 173195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173195
Chen, L., Yan, Z., Tang, W. J., Yang, F. Y., Xie, X. D., & He, J. C. (2016). Mobile Phone Addiction Levels and Negative Emotions among Chinese Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Interpersonal Problems. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 856-866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.030
Child Welfare League of America (2001). National Fact Sheet. Child Welfare League of America.
Jiang, Q. Y., Wang, X. C., & Liu, B. (2021). The Impact of Parental Phubbing on the Psychological Development of Children and Adolescents. Psychological Development and Education, 37, 137-145.
Jun, S. M. (2016). The Reciprocal Longitudinal Relationships between Mobile Phone Addiction and Depressive Symptoms among Korean Adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 58, 179-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.12.061
Kathryn, L., & David, A. W. (2002). Child Neglect: Developmental Issues and Outcomes. Child Abuse and Neglect, 26, 679-695. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00341-1
Kong, F. C., Wang, M. R., & Sun, Y. Y. (2021). The Relationship between Parental Neglect Behavior and Adolescent Alienation: A Moderated Mediation Model. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 19, 486-492.
Lauricella, A. R., Wartella, E., & Rideout, V. J. (2015). Young Children’s Screen Time: The Complex Role of Parent and Child Factors. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 36, 11-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.12.001
Lee, J. E., Jang, S. I., Ju, Y. J., Kim, W., Lee, H. J., & Park, E. C. (2017). Relationship between Mobile Phone Addiction and the Incidence of Poor and Short Sleep among Korean Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study of the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey. Journal Korean Medical Science, 32, 1166-1172. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2017.32.7.1166
Leung, L. (2008). Leisure Boredom, Sensation Seeking, Self-Esteem, and Addiction: Symptoms and Patterns of Cell Phone Use. Mediated Interpersonal Communication, 8, 370-371.
Li, L., Yang, X. Y., & Dong H. (2020). The Influence of Mobile Phone Addiction on Parent-Child Relationship. Journal of Xiang Yang Polytechnic, 19, 129-132.
Liao, C. G., Xiong, X. J., & Hu, B. Q. (2017). Study on the Influence of Parents’ Focus on Phubbing When Accompanying Their Children on Parent-Child Relationship. Educational Modernization, 36, 264-267.
Loos, M. L. H. J., Meij-de Vries, A., Nagtegaal, M., & Bakx, R. (2021). Child Abuse and Neglect in Paediatric Burns: The Majority Is Caused by Neglect and Thus Preventable. Burns: Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries, In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2021.05.011
Marianne, B., Renae, C., & Kari, D. (2003). Promising Practices in Understanding and Treating Child Neglect. Child and Family Social Work, 8, 13-24. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2206.2003.00262.x
Maya, S., Sailaxmi, G., & Manoj, K. S. (2019). Mobile Phone Addiction among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 30, 261-268. https://doi.org/10.1097/JAN.0000000000000309
Mcdaniel, B. T., & Coyne, S. M. (2016). Technology Interference in the Parenting of Young Children: Implications for Mothers’ Perceptions of Coparenting. The Social Science Journal, 53, 435-443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2016.04.010
Mcdaniel, B. T., & Radesky, J. S. (2018). Technoference: Parent Distraction with Technology and Associations with Child Behavior Problems. Child Development, 89, 100-109. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12822
Milkovich, L. M., Sherman, A., Gillette, M. D. et al. (2020). Problematic Child Mealtime Behavior and Caregiver Mobile Phone Use. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 41, 373-378.
Milot, T., St-Laurent, D., & Ethier L. S. (2010). Trauma-Related Symptoms in Neglected Preschoolers and Affective Quality of Mother-Child Communication. Child Maltreatment, 15, 293-304. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559510379153
Ming, Z., Pietikainen, S., & Hänninen, O. (2006). Excessive Texting in Pathophysiology of First Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis. Pathophysiology, 13, 269-270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pathophys.2006.09.001
Montag, C., Zhao, Z., & Sindermann, C. (2018). Internet Communication Disorder and the Structure of the Human Brain: Initial Insights on WeChat Addiction. Scientific Reports, 8, Article No. 2155. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-19904-y
Pan, J. P., Yang, Z. N., & Ren, X. H. (2003). Development of Child Neglect Norms of Urban Children Aged 3 to 6 Years in China. Chinese Journal of Public Health, 19, 33-36．
Pan, J. P., Yang, Z. N., & Ren, X. H. (2005). Study on the Current Situation and Influential Factors of Child Neglect among Aged 3 to 6 Years Old in the Urban Areas of China. Chinese Journal of Endemiology, 26, 258-262.
Radesky, J. S., Kistin, C. J., Zuckerman, B., Nitzberg, K., Gross, J., Kaplan-Sanoff, M., & Silverstein, M. (2014). Patterns of Mobile Device Use by Caregivers and Children during Meals in Fast Food Restaurants. Pediatrics, 133, e843-e849. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-3703
Radesky, J. S., Kistin, C., Eisenberg, S. et al. (2016). Parent Perspectives on Their Mobile Technology Use: The Excitement and Exhaustion of Parenting While Connected. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 37, 694-701. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000357
Radesky, J., Miller, A. L., Rosenblum, K. L., Appugliese, D., Kaciroti, N., & Lumeng, J. C. (2015). Maternal Mobile Device Use during a Structured Parent-Child Interaction Task. Academic Pediatrics, 15, 238-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2014.10.001
Sarah, M., Olga, G., Samantha, B., Koraly, P. E., Kristin, A. B., & Tracy, A. D. T. (2017). Digital Disruption? Maternal Mobile Device Use Is Related to Infant Social-Emotional Functioning. Developmental Science, 21, e12610. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12610
Sedlak, A. J., & Broadhurst, D. D. (1996). The Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect. US Department of Health and Human Services.
Shah, S. M., Nowshad, G., Dhaheri, F. A., AlShamsi, M. H., AlKetbi, A. M., Galadari, A., Joshi, P., Bendak, H., Grivna M., & Arnone, D. (2021). Child Maltreatment and Neglect in the United Arab Emirates and Relationship with Low Self-Esteem and Symptoms of Depression. International Review of Psychiatry, 33, 326-336. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2021.1895086
Wang, H., Fu, Q. H., & Jing, J. (2012). Cross Sectional Study on Child Neglect among Urban Children Aged 3 to 6 Years Old in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province. Chinese General Practice, 15, 1261-1264.
Wang, J. (2016). Parent-Child Relationship in the Era of Smart Phones. Western China Quality Education, 2, 7-8.
Yang, W. Y. (2020). The Present Situation of the Children’s Parental Phubbing and Its Influence on Children’s Problem Behavior. Shenyang Normal University.
Yu, H. J., Zheng, M. B., & Liu, X. X. (2021). The Association of Child Neglect with Lifestyles Depression, and Self-Esteem: Cross-Lagged Analyses in Chinese Primary School Children. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 146, Article ID: 103950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2021.103950
Zhang, Y. Y., Zhu, L. L., & Wang, J. Q. (2015). Investigation on the Neglect of Children Aged 3 to 6 in Jiamusi City. Hei Longjiang Medicine and Pharmacy, 38, 26-27.
Zhao, Y. X., & Zhang, H. (2013). Prevalence of Children Neglect and Its Influencing Factors among Urban Children Aged 3 to 6 Years in Xinyang City. Chinese Journal of Public Health, 29, 1286-1289.
Zhou, J. L., Huang, H., & Chen, Y. X. (2020). Effects of Parents’ Mobile Phone Use on Children’s Language and Behavior Development. Chinese Journal of School Health, 41, 471-476.
Zhou, X. J., Jiang, Q. J., & He, C. Y. (2015). Analysis of the Current Situation of Child Neglect among Aged 3 to 6 Year-Old in the Urban Areas of 9 Districts of Chongqing. Chongqing Medicine, 44, 4399-4402.