Virtual Network Dependence and Parenting Styles in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

This study was conducted with the aim of virtual network dependence and parenting styles in adolescents: the mediating role of emotion regulation.

The research method is cross-sectional correlation. The statistical population of this study consisted of all high school students (boys and girls) in Tehran in 1300-1400, from which 400 people were selected by stepwise cluster sampling. In this study, tools of virtual network dependence (Khajeh Ahmadi et al., 2016), perceived parenting styles (Bamrind, 1997) and emotional regulation (Garnefski and Kraaij, 2006) were used, all of which had acceptable validity and reliability. SPSS-V23 and Amos-V8.8 software were used to analyze the data. Structural equation modeling was also used to answer the research hypotheses.

Findings showed that the model has a good fit. The results showed that there is a relationship between perceived parenting styles and virtual network dependence in adolescents. Perceived parenting styles have an indirect effect on virtual network dependence through positive and negative emotion regulation (p <0.05). The results also showed that the indirect effect of perceived parenting styles on adolescents' virtual network dependence was confirmed by emotion regulation with 95% confidence.

According to the results of the present study, emotion regulation strategies have an effective role in the use of virtual networks in adolescents and more attention should be paid to parenting styles in educational programs.