Parent–Child Online Interaction and the Well-Being of Children in Rural China: The Effects of Family Social Capital and Parental Migration

Existing empirical evidence supports the close relationships between parent–child interactions and child well-being outcomes. Internet and mobile phone–mediated communication has facilitated interaction between children and their family members, which can be related to increased family social capital for the welfare of children. The objectives of the present study were to examine the associations between parental–child online interactions, family social capital and child well-being in rural China and to investigate the moderating role of parental migration in these associations. A sample of 1384 secondary school students (47.6% girls, mean age = 14.14 years) participated in the survey and answered questions about their interaction with parents, family structure and relationships and well-being. A series of regression analyses showed that parent–child online interactions were positively associated with child well-being by increasing children's family social capital at three parental migration patterns. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the moderating mediating effect between non–left-behind children and children whose one parent migrated. The findings provide evidence for the potential beneficial effects of parent–child online interactions on child well-being and have implications for policies and practices that support the use of the Internet and mobile devices among children living in disadvantaged situations.