The relationship between perceived parental control and internet addiction: A cross-sectional study among adolescents

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental psychological and behavioral control which the adolescents perceived from their parents and internet addiction. It employed relational survey model and was carried out with the participation of a total of 356 students (female=205, male=151) aged 14-18. Correlation and regression analyses were utilized to determine the level and direction of the relationship between their perceived parental psychological and behavioral control, and internet addiction. The results yielded a positive, medium-level and meaningful relation between them. It was found that parental psychological control explained nearly 18% of the total variance in internet addiction and mothers are perceived as significantly more psychologically controlling in internet addiction than fathers. Also, the relationship between parental behavioral control and the level of adolescents’ internet addiction was found negative and non-significant. Consequently, it was noted that perceived parental psychological control was effective in adolescents’ internet addiction tendencies, whereas behavioral control did not produce such effect. © 2019, Anadolu University, Faculty of Communication Sciences. All rights reserved.