The Effect of Parental Smartphone Addiction Tendency on Children’s Playfulness: The Mediating Effect of Children’s Use of Smart Devices

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the mediating effect of children’s use of smart devices within the relationship between parental smartphone addiction tendency with children’s playfulness. For this study, 259 mothers of children aged between 3 to and 5 in Seoul and Gyeonggi province were selected as subjects. The collected data were analyzed by structural equation model using R version 3.5.1 and Mplus Version 7.4 Base Program Single-User. The results of this study are as follows. First, parental smartphone addiction tendency affected children’s use of smart devices and playfulness directly. Also children’s use of smart devices affected children’s playfulness. Second, children use of smart devices was found to be a partial parameter in the relationship between parental smartphone addiction tendency and children's playfulness. The results of this study indicates that children’s use of smart devices act as a mediator between parental smartphone addiction tendency and children playfulness.