Parenting style, social interaction anxiety, and problematic internet use among students

Our study examined the roles of parenting styles and social interaction anxiety in problematic internet use (PIU) in a sample of Nigerian undergraduate students (n = 300; female = 63.3%; mean age = 19.66 years, SD = 2.64 years). The students completed the Parenting Style Inventory II (PS-II), the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and the Generalised Problematic Internet Use Scale 2. Following regression analysis, results showed authoritative parenting to predict lower PIU among the students, while permissive parenting predicted higher PIU among the students. Social interaction anxiety predicted higher PIU and mediated the relationship between the parenting styles and PIU, decreasing PIU among female students but not for the male students. Gendered parenting style influences PIU through social anxiety. These findings suggest a need for gender sensitive PIU interventions in Nigerian patriarchal culture.