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Volume 12
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10.3390/children12081022
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Behavioral Problems: The Mediation Role of Mindful Attention Awareness

by
Antonio Puligheddu
1,
Annamaria Porru
1,*,
Andrea Spano
2,
Stefania Cataudella
2,
Maria Lidia Mascia
3,
Dolores Rollo
4,
Cristina Cabras
2,
Maria Pietronilla Penna
2 and
Daniela Lucangeli
1
1
Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35131 Padova, PD, Italy
2
Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy
3
Department of History, Human Sciences and Education, University of Sassari, Via Maurizio Zanfarino 62, 07100 Sassari, SS, Italy
4
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Volturno, 39, 43125 Parma, PR, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Children 2025, 12(8), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081022 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 24 June 2025 / Revised: 29 July 2025 / Accepted: 31 July 2025 / Published: 2 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Pediatric Mental Health)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Phubbing, a relatively new phenomenon in the field of digital risks, refers to the act of ignoring someone in favor of focusing on a smartphone during face-to-face interactions. Parental phubbing, a specific form of this behavior, is a prevalent negative parenting practice that can affect parent–child relationships and child development. However, the impact of parental phubbing on the emotional and behavioral development of preschool children remains unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between parental phubbing and preschoolers’ behavioral problems, as well as test whether parents’ mindful attention awareness (MAA) acts as a mediator between them. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 138 Italian parents (mean age = 38.5, SD = 6.2) of 138 kindergarten preschoolers (mean age = 3.9, SD = 1.03). Questionnaires included the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between the MAAS and SDQ total scores, a positive correlation between the GSP total score and the SDQ total score, and a negative correlation between the GSP total score and the MAAS total score. The mediation analysis did not show a direct effect of GSP on SDQ, suggesting that parental phubbing did not directly predict children’s behavioral difficulties. Nevertheless, the indirect effect measured by bootstrapping was significant, indicating that parental MAA fully mediated the relationship between parental phubbing and preschoolers’ problematic behaviors. Conclusions: Although further research is needed, parental mindfulness may influence phubbing behaviors in parents providing valuable insights for early interventions aimed at reducing problem behaviors in young children.
Keywords: parental phubbing; parental Mindfulness; preschoolers; behaviors parental phubbing; parental Mindfulness; preschoolers; behaviors

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MDPI and ACS Style

Puligheddu, A.; Porru, A.; Spano, A.; Cataudella, S.; Mascia, M.L.; Rollo, D.; Cabras, C.; Penna, M.P.; Lucangeli, D. The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Behavioral Problems: The Mediation Role of Mindful Attention Awareness. Children 2025, 12, 1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081022

AMA Style

Puligheddu A, Porru A, Spano A, Cataudella S, Mascia ML, Rollo D, Cabras C, Penna MP, Lucangeli D. The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Behavioral Problems: The Mediation Role of Mindful Attention Awareness. Children. 2025; 12(8):1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081022

Chicago/Turabian Style

Puligheddu, Antonio, Annamaria Porru, Andrea Spano, Stefania Cataudella, Maria Lidia Mascia, Dolores Rollo, Cristina Cabras, Maria Pietronilla Penna, and Daniela Lucangeli. 2025. "The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Behavioral Problems: The Mediation Role of Mindful Attention Awareness" Children 12, no. 8: 1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081022

APA Style

Puligheddu, A., Porru, A., Spano, A., Cataudella, S., Mascia, M. L., Rollo, D., Cabras, C., Penna, M. P., & Lucangeli, D. (2025). The Relationship Between Parental Phubbing and Preschoolers’ Behavioral Problems: The Mediation Role of Mindful Attention Awareness. Children, 12(8), 1022. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081022

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