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Stress and Internet Addiction: Mediated by Anxiety and Moderated by Self-Control
Xuwei Shen1, Chenggong Wang1, Caiyan Chen1
1College of Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, People's Republic of China.
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Stress increases Internet addiction (IA) risk through anxiety. Self-control (SC) influences this relationship, buffering some effects while enhancing others, highlighting SC
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Digital Health
Background:
- The relationship between stress and Internet addiction (IA) is established, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
- Existing research confirms a link between stress and IA, necessitating further investigation into mediating and moderating factors.
- Understanding these pathways is crucial for developing effective interventions for problematic internet use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of anxiety in the stress-IA relationship.
- To examine the moderating effect of self-control (SC) on the link between stress and IA.
- To propose and test a moderated mediation model for stress, anxiety, self-control, and Internet addiction.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative study involving 861 Chinese college students.
- Utilized online questionnaires assessing depression-anxiety-stress, self-control, and Internet addiction.
- Employed SPSS PROCESS macro for moderated mediation analysis, controlling for gender and age.
Main Results:
- Anxiety was found to partially mediate the relationship between stress and IA.
- Higher stress levels correlated with increased anxiety, subsequently increasing the likelihood of IA.
- Self-control (SC) moderated both direct and indirect effects of stress on IA, showing complex buffering and enhancing influences.
Conclusions:
- Stress is a significant predictor of Internet addiction (IA) in college students.
- Interventions should focus on reducing anxiety and enhancing self-control (SC) to mitigate excessive internet use.
- Findings offer valuable insights for educators addressing problematic internet behaviors.
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