Parental Emotional Availability, Child Anxiety and Digital Parenting Stress Among Young Children

Abstract

Parental emotional availability is an important aspect of parent–child relationships that may be associated with children’s emotional adjustment, while digital parenting stress represents a potential challenge for caregivers in technology-rich environments. The present study examined the relationships among parental emotional availability, child anxiety, and digital parenting stress among parents of young children. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational research design was employed, involving 250 parents or primary caregivers selected through purposive sampling. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 26. Pearson product–moment correlation analysis was conducted to examine the associations among the study variables. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between parental emotional availability and child anxiety (r=-.23, p<.01), indicating that higher parental emotional availability was associated with lower levels of child anxiety. Parental emotional availability was also negatively associated with digital parenting stress (r=.12, p<.05). Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was observed between child anxiety and digital parenting stress (r=.46, p<.01), representing the strongest association among the study variables. These findings highlight the relevance of emotionally responsive caregiving and the potential importance of considering technology-related parenting challenges when examining anxiety in young children. The results may inform future research and parent-focused support initiatives aimed at promoting children's emotional well-being and strengthening family functioning. However, given the cross-sectional correlational design, the findings should be interpreted as associations rather than evidence of causal relationships.