Effects of a Structured Parent Training Program on Parents’ Active Mediation of Adolescents’ Smartphone Use: A Controlled Experimental Study

Problematic smartphone use among adolescents can lead to various negative consequences. Parental active mediation has been identified as an effective strategy to mitigate these problems. In response, numerous parent training programs have been developed. However, it remains unclear whether these programs can effectively enhance parents' active mediation. A 2 (group: experimental vs. control) × 3 (time: pretest, post-test, follow-up) mixed factorial design was employed to examine the effects of parent training on parents' active mediation. A total of 60 parents of adolescents with problematic smartphone use participated in the experiment. Parents in the experimental group attended a six-session parent training program, while those in the control group received no intervention. Parental active mediation was assessed using a validated self-report scale at all three time points. Results indicated significant main effects of group and time, as well as a significant group × time interaction. Among parents with the same initial level of active mediation, those who participated in the training demonstrated higher levels of active mediation than those in the control group, and this improvement was maintained two months later. These findings provide empirical evidence that parent training can sustainably enhance parents' active mediation in managing adolescents' smartphone use.