Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
The Impact of Problematic Internet Use on Adolescent Loneliness-Chain Mediation Effects of Social Support and Family
Fangmin Gong1, Zhuliu Gong1, Haimeng Liu2
1College of Literature and Journalism Communication, Jishou University, Jishou, People's Republic of China.
Purpose:
To explore the relationship between adolescents' problematic Internet use and loneliness and the mediating roles of social support and family communication.
Methods:
A questionnaire survey of 2483 adolescents aged 12-17 years in 148 cities in China was conducted using the Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Collaborative Social Support Scale, the Family Communication Scale, and the Loneliness Scale. The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 26.0 and validated by AMOS 28.0. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to test the effects of problematic Internet use on adolescents' loneliness and the mediating effects of perceptions of social support and family communication.
Results:
There was a significant positive effect of adolescents' problematic Internet use on loneliness (B-0.471, P<0.001), and the mediating effects of perceptual social support (0.003, 0.012) and family communication (0.008, 0.019) were found to play a chain effect between adolescents' problematic Internet use and loneliness, respectively. Use and feelings of loneliness played a chain mediating role (0.002, 0.006).
Conclusion:
This study identified the effects of adolescent problematic Internet use on loneliness and its mechanism of action, emphasized the importance of social support and family communication, and provided practical insights for improving family parenting styles and preventing and intervening in adolescent loneliness problems.
Related Concept Videos
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Bullying
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence

