The Impact of Positive Parent-Child Communication(TSL) on Career Maturity Among Adolescents: The Mediating Effect of Smartphone Overdependence

Background and Purpose: Positive communication between parents and adolescents is a key component of healthy family functioning and has been associated with various developmental outcomes. However, while previous studies have examined the direct relationships between family communication, smartphone overdependence, and career maturity, there is a lack of integrated research that simultaneously investigates the structural pathway connecting all three variables. Specifically, the mediating mechanism through which positive parent-adolescent communication (TSL) influences career maturity by mitigating smartphone overdependence remains under-explored. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between positive parent-adolescent communication and career maturity and to assess whether smartphone overdependence mediated this relationship.

Methods: The study included 944 adolescents (53.2% female) recruited from eight middle schools and seven high schools in South Korea. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing positive parent-adolescent communication (TSL), smartphone overdependence, and career maturity. All measures demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α ranging from .852 to .880). Collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0 and the PROCESS Macro Model 4.

Results: Results indicated that positive parent-adolescent communication was positively associated with career maturity. Smartphone overdependence was found to fully mediate this relationship. Specifically, positive communication (TSL) indirectly enhanced career maturity by reducing smartphone overdependence. When smartphone overdependence was included in the model, the direct effect of positive communication on career maturity became non-significant, confirming a full mediation effect.

Conclusions and Implications: Adolescents who experience positive communication with their parents report lower levels of smartphone overdependence, which in turn leads to higher career maturity. These findings demonstrate that positive parent-adolescent communication serves as a protective factor in mitigating digital risks and facilitating career development. This suggests that practical interventions to enhance family communication are necessary to reduce smartphone overdependence and promote adolescents’ long-term vocational success.