The second digital divide mediates the association between parental rearing style and depression, anxiety and their comorbidity among college students: a latent profile and mediation analysis.
Depression and anxiety symptoms among college students have become major public health concerns worldwide, including in China. In the context of increasing digitalization, college students are deeply engaged with online and mobile technologies, which may also exacerbate digital inequalities. The second digital divide, conceptualized in this study as disparities in internet literacy and internet attitudes after basic access to digital technologies has been achieved, has emerged as an important form of digital inequality among college students. Its potential triggers and underlying mechanisms linking it to mental health remain underexplored. Parental rearing styles are established consistently linked to factors for depression and anxiety, but whether they affect mental health through the digital divide is unknown. This study aimed to (1) identify distinct parental rearing profiles; (2) evaluate the impact of different parental rearing styles on mental health issues; (3) investigate whether the second digital divide mediates this association.
A cross-sectional study with a sample of 3533 college students was carried out. Latent profile analysis and multivariate logistic regression were conducted. Mediation analyses evaluated the mediating effects.
Three parental rearing style profiles were identified: positive, mixed, and negative parenting. Students with negative parental rearing style had the highest odds of depression, anxiety and their comorbidity, whereas those with mixed parental rearing styles also had higher odds than those with positive parental rearing styles. The second digital divide significantly mediated all associations. The subgroup and sensitivity analysis found that results remained unchanged.
Narrowing the second digital divide and promoting positive rearing styles may serve as a valuable direction for college students' mental health management.
A cross-sectional study with a sample of 3533 college students was carried out. Latent profile analysis and multivariate logistic regression were conducted. Mediation analyses evaluated the mediating effects.
Three parental rearing style profiles were identified: positive, mixed, and negative parenting. Students with negative parental rearing style had the highest odds of depression, anxiety and their comorbidity, whereas those with mixed parental rearing styles also had higher odds than those with positive parental rearing styles. The second digital divide significantly mediated all associations. The subgroup and sensitivity analysis found that results remained unchanged.
Narrowing the second digital divide and promoting positive rearing styles may serve as a valuable direction for college students' mental health management.