Peer-reviewed article

"Look at me, not your screen": the negative association of parental phubbing on adolescent well-being.

Liu Q, Cui Q, Dang M, Chen J, Shi B · 21 Jul 2026

Abstract

Against the backdrop of rapid digital technology development, the impact of parental phubbing on adolescents' physical and mental health has garnered increasing attention. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theoretical model, this study examines the statistical associations linking parental phubbing to adolescents' anxiety levels and participation in physical activity. Data were collected from 550 middle school students using the Parental Phubbing Scale (PPS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Social Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (SAD-7), and the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3). After excluding 41 invalid responses, 509 valid questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The findings reveal that frequent parental phubbing is significantly positively associated with adolescents' generalized anxiety and social anxiety, and negatively associated with their engagement in physical activity. Network analysis further shows that generalized anxiety emerges as a central hub in the network, whereas social anxiety exhibits a distinct suppressive moderating effect. These results highlight the potential harm of shifting family interaction patterns in the digital age and emphasize the need for parents to be mindful of the modeling effects of their device use. Strengthening face-to-face interactions may help promote adolescents' physical and psychological well-being. These findings offer correlational evidence that may inform the establishment of family digital behavior guidelines and the development of intervention strategies to support adolescent health.