AUTHOR=Li Liang , Wang Xizhou , Tang Shaoyue , Wang Jianfeng 

TITLE=Family functioning and problematic internet pornography use among adolescents: a moderated mediation model

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199835

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199835

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>In recent years, the issue of problematic Internet pornography use (PIPU) among adolescents has become increasingly prominent, attracting widespread attention from society. Family functioning has been recognized as a protective factor for PIPU, but the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study is (a) to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between family functioning and PIPU, and (b) to examine the moderating role of the need to belong in this mediating pathway.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 771 high school students (<italic>M</italic><sub>age</sub> = 16.19, <italic>SD</italic> = 0.90) were surveyed using the Problematic Internet Pornography Use Scale, Family Assessment Device, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Need to Belong Scale.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between family functioning and PIPU (<italic>r</italic> = −0.25, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), a significant positive correlation between self-esteem and family functioning (<italic>r</italic> = 0.38, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), a significant negative correlation between self-esteem and PIPU (<italic>r</italic> = −0.24, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and a significant positive correlation between need to belong and PIPU (<italic>r</italic> = 0.16, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Mediation analysis showed that self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between family functioning and PIPU, with a mediation effect of −0.06. Further moderated mediation analysis showed that for adolescents with higher need to belong, the mediating effect of self-esteem was stronger.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>For adolescents with high belonging needs who are at high risk for PIPU, good family functioning may have a protective effect by boosting self-esteem.</p></sec>