Parental phubbing, loneliness, and sleep quality among adolescents: a structural equation modeling analysis

Sleep disturbances are prevalent among adolescents. This study aims to examine the associations between parental phubbing (PP), loneliness, and sleep quality (SQ), with a specific focus on investigating the mediating role of loneliness in these relationships. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,079 students from two medical colleges in Chongqing, China. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, the Parental Phubbing Scale, the Simplified Loneliness Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Pearson correlation analysis was performed to assess the linear relationships between variables, while a structural equation model (SEM) was constructed. The bootstrap method was applied to evaluate the mediating effect of loneliness. The findings revealed that 80.72% of participants were classified as having poor SQ. PP showed a significant positive correlation with loneliness (r = 0.221, p < 0.001) and with the PSQI score (r = 0.199, p < 0.001). Loneliness also demonstrated a positive association with the PSQI score (r = 0.368, p < 0.001). Furthermore, loneliness was found to significantly mediate the relationship between PP and SQ (indirect effect: β = 0.131, 95% CI: 0.093-0.171, p < 0.001). PP was associated with poorer SQ directly and indirectly through heightened loneliness. These findings underscore the critical role of family behaviors in shaping adolescents' mental health and SQ, highlighting the importance of reducing PP and fostering healthier parent-child interactions.