The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Resilience in Middle School Students: The Mediating Role of Gratitude

Objective: To analyze the interrelationships among parental phubbing, gratitude, and resilience among secondary school students, and to explore the mediating role of gratitude between parental phubbing and resilience. Methods: A survey was conducted on 1,337 secondary school students in Anhui, Jiangsu, and Hunan provinces using the Parental Phubbing Scale, Adolescent Gratitude Scale, and Adolescent Resilience Scale. Results: (1) Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between parental phubbing and resilience (r =-0.40, p<0.01), and a significant negative correlation between parental phubbing and gratitude (r = -0.14, p< 0.01). Gratitude showed a significant positive correlation with resilience (r=0.44, p<0.01). (2) Mediational analysis indicated that gratitude partially mediated the relationship between parental phubbing and resilience among secondary school students, accounting for 15.00% of the total effect. Conclusion: Parental phubbing not only directly impacts resilience among secondary school students but also indirectly weakens it by reducing their levels of gratitude.