Gender differences in the relationships between parental phubbing and adolescents’ depressive symptoms: The mediating role of parent-adolescent communication

•Fphubbing was positively related to adolescents’ depressive symptoms.•Mphubbing was positively related to adolescents’ depressive symptoms.•Parent-adolescent communication mediated these associations.•Fphubbing's impact on father-adolescent communication is stronger among girls.•Mphubbing's impact on father-adolescent communication is stronger among girls. Phubbing, as a common phenomenon in modern society's communication, describes the act of using one's phone in face-to-face interactions. In recent years, parental phubbing has attracted the attention of researchers, and it is imperative to explore the relationship between father phubbing (Fphubbing), mother phubbing (Mphubbing) and adolescent development. Therefore, this study investigated 4213 adolescents (mean age = 16.41, SD = 0.77, 52.5% were boys) and explored the relationship between Fphubbing and Mphubbing and adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Our single-group path analysis showed that both Fphubbing and Mphubbing were positively associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms. These positive associations were mediated by father-adolescent communication and mother-adolescent communication. Furthermore, multiple-group path analysis revealed that, compared to male adolescents, the relationship between Fphubbing and father-adolescent communication, and the relationship between Mphubbing and mother-adolescent communication were stronger in female adolescents. These findings offer a more ecological and comprehensive understanding of how parental phubbing associates with parent-adolescent communication and adolescents’ depressive symptoms.