Gender differences in the pathways linking parental psychological control, emotion regulation, and psychological distress among university students with smartphone addiction

This research investigated gender disparities in parental psychological control and psychological distress among 1,276 Chinese undergraduates utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Paternal psychological control had a positive correlation with reappraisal in males (t(male) = 3.420; P = 0.001 < 0.05), whereas no such correlation was observed in females (t(female) = 0.276; P = 0.783 > 0.05). Gender significantly mitigated this connection (Difference(male-female) = 0.298; P = 0.014 < 0.05). The mediating effect of reappraisal on the relationship between paternal psychological control and psychological distress was significant for males but not for females (Difference(male-female) = 0.297; P = 0.006 < 0.05). No significant gender differences were observed in maternal psychological control or inhibition (P > 0.05). The findings endorse gender-sensitive models and highlight the need for interventions targeting parenting practices and emotional regulation, such as parental guidance programs and cognitive-behavioral training to strengthen adaptive regulation strategies.