The Relationship Between Parent-child Techno-interference and Adolescent Short-form Video Addiction: The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of parent-child techno-interference on adolescent shortform video addiction and the mediating role of psychological flexibility in this relationship. Methods: A total of 320 junior high school students from a school in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, were surveyed offline using the Parent- Child Techno-Interference Scale, Short-Form Video APP Usage Duration Questionnaire, Short-Form Video App Excessive Use Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), and Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ). Results: (1) Adolescents used short-form video apps 0~2 times on weekdays and at least once on weekends. Weekday usage duration was concentrated within 0~30 minutes, while weekend usage spanned 10~60 minutes. (2) Parent-child techno-interference showed significant differences based on parental marital status. Experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion exhibited significant differences across gender, parental marital status, and maternal education level. Short-form video addiction showed no significant differences in gender, grade, parental marital status, or parental education level. (3) Parent-child techno-interference, psychological flexibility, and adolescent short-form video addiction were pairwise correlated: parent-child techno-interference positively predicted short-form video addiction, while psychological flexibility negatively predicted it. (4) Psychological flexibility played a partial mediating role between parent-child techno-interference and adolescent short-form video addiction. Conclusion: Parent-child techno-interference positively predicts adolescent short-form video addiction, with psychological flexibility acting as a partial mediator.