Spillover Effects of Short Video Addiction on Psychological Well-Being in Grandparent and Child Dyads Using Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

In China, grandparent–child caregiving arrangements are increasingly common due to parental labor migration. While this intergenerational structure supports childcare in the absence of parents, it may also introduce unique psychosocial risks, especially in the context of digital media use. This study examined how short video addiction (SVA) affects psychological well-being (PWB) within grandparent–child dyads, using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM).
A total of 800 rural children and primary caregiving grandparents dyads from 30 elementary schools in a labor-exporting county in Southwest China completed a structured survey assessing SVA and PWB. APIM analyses were conducted to test actor (intrapersonal) and partner (interpersonal) effects, as well as within-dyad covariances.
Results showed that children’s SVA significantly predicted both lower PWB in themselves (actor effect) and in their grandparents (partner effect), suggesting emotional spillover across generations. In contrast, grandparents’ own SVA did not significantly predict either their own or the child’s PWB. Significant covariances between grandparent and child PWB outcomes were observed which potentially reflected interconnected psychological wellbeing across generations.
These findings highlight the broader intergenerational consequences of children’s digital behavior and underscore the vulnerability of caregiving grandparents in digital environment. Interventions targeting children’s screen habits may offer psychological benefits not only for youth themselves, but also for their older caregivers.