Longitudinal contributions of parent-child and teacher-student relationships to adolescent problematic internet use: The mediating role of self-esteem

Problematic internet use (PIU) is becoming an increasingly common issues among adolescents. A number of cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that the relationships in family (i.e., parent–child relationship) and in school (i.e., teacher-student relationship) are separately associated with PIU among adolescents. However, whether the contribution of the relationship in school could above and beyond family remain unknown. Moreover, few studies have explored the potential mediating mechanisms underlying these associations with longitudinal data. The current study used a 3-year longitudinal design to test (a) the separate (i.e., interpersonal factors are examined one at a time) and unique (interpersonal factors are examined simultaneously) contributions of parent–child relationship and teacher-student relationship to adolescent PIU, and (b) whether self-esteem acts as a mediator of these links. A sample of 1,365 adolescents (Mage at wave 1 = 14.68 years, SD = 1.56) from junior and senior high schools were surveyed once a year. After controlling for baseline covariates, the analyses revealed that (a) both parent–child relationship and teacher-student relationship had separate contributions to adolescent PIU two years later; however, only parent–child relationship had unique contributions to PIU; and (b) both parent–child relationship and teacher-student relationship positively predicted self-esteem one year later, which in turn negatively predicted adolescent PIU two years later. These findings underscore that PIU is embedded in family and school microsystems and shaped by dynamic cascades across interpersonal relationships and self-esteem.