ABSTRACT
Although spillover effects between interparental conflict and parenting are well-documented, domain-specific processes related to child screen use (CSU) remain understudied. Given the growing role of digital media in family life, this study addresses this gap using survey data from a large sample of Chinese mothers (N = 12 947) with young children (M
age = 5.25; SD = 0.92; 46.7% girls). Guided by family systems theory, we examined the link between CSU-related interparental conflict and CSU-related parenting behaviours. Additionally, grounded in the contextual model of parenting, we tested whether mothers’ child-based worth and supportive attitude towards CSU moderated these associations. Results showed that both factors buffered the negative spillover from CSU-related interparental conflict to CSU-related parenting practices, independent of key covariates like child problematic media use. These findings underscore the relevance of family systems perspectives in understanding interparental and parenting dynamics in the digital age.