Parental neglect and social media addiction of adolescents: The chain mediation effect of basic psychological need and personal growth initiative

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationship between parental neglect and adolescent social media addiction and its underlying mechanism. Design and methods: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. A total of 792 middle school students participated.Self-report questionnaires were conducted using the Parental Neglect Questionnaire, the Basic Needs Satisfaction Scale, the Personal Growth Initiative Scale and the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the chain mediation model. Results: The results showed that parental neglect was significantly positively correlated with adolescent social media addiction. Basic psychological need and personal growth initiative played a mediating role between parental neglect and adolescent social media addiction, and basic psychological need and personal growth initiative also played a chain mediating role between the two. Conclusions: The study revealed the potential mechanism of parental neglect affecting adolescent social media addiction, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and intervention of adolescent social media addiction from the family and individual levels. Practice implications: Nurses and educators should engage with parents to increase awareness about the potential consequences of parental neglect and social media addiction among adolescents. These professionals are well- positioned to implement educational programs that teach parents how to satisfy their children's basic psychological needs and encourage personal growth initiatives. Such programs should include continuous support, guidance, and practical strategies for parents to help manage their children's social media use effectively. (c) 2025 Published by Elsevier Inc.