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The Relationship Between Social Avoidance and Maternal Phubbing: A Network Analysis

Jingjing Zhu1, Junyang Feng1, Ruixin Yang1

  • 1Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China.

The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|May 28, 2026
PubMed

The association between maternal phubbing and social avoidance has been established, but the specific symptom-level mechanisms connecting these two behaviors remain unclear. This study employs network analysis to advance our understanding of these interactions, aiming to explore the symptom network structures of maternal phubbing and social avoidance among preschool migrant children. Participants were 225 preschool migrant children in China (Mage = 53.1 months, SD = 11.51, 52.9% girls). Mothers completed questionnaires reporting their levels of phubbing (PPS) and their child's levels of social avoidance (CSPS). Network analysis results indicated that Conversation Glancing (MP5) was the most central symptom in the maternal phubbing network, and Strategic Isolation (SA3) was the most central symptom in the social avoidance network. Exploratory analyses tentatively identified Strategic Isolation (SA3) and Communication Check (MP9) as potential bridge symptoms between the two domains. No significant differences were found in the network structures between boys and girls. The findings suggest potential pathways linking maternal phubbing and child social avoidance, providing an empirical basis for designing more precise early interventions.

Keywords:
Social avoidancebridge symptomsmaternal phubbingnetwork analysispreschool migrant children

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