Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2022.475

DEPRESSION AND LONELINESS AS MEDIATORS BETWEEN SOCIAL SUPPORT AND MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION

Yu Peng ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
Huili Mao ; Mental Health Education Centre, Changsha University, Changsha, Hunan, China
Bin Zhang ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
Anqi Zhang ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
Yixin Zeng ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
Chengwei Zeng ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
Jieyang Li ; Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China

Abstract

Background: Mobile phone addiction among adolescents has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Previous researches
revealed a significant relation between low social support and addiction. This study aim to investigated the association between
social support and mobile phone addiction, and the mediating effects of depression and loneliness.
Subjects and methods: A total of 1,400 Chinese adolescents aged from 12 to 23 years old was recruited from two middle schools
and a college in Hunan Province, China. Participates were selected using the cluster random sampling method. They completed the
Mobile Phone Addiction Index, the Self-Rating Depression Scale, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Adolescent Social Support
Scale. The study analyzed the correlations between the study variables and the mediating role of depression and loneliness in the
relationship between social support and mobile phone addiction.
Results: There were significant negative correlation between social support and depression, loneliness, and mobile phone
addiction (p<0.001). Both depression and loneliness demonstrated significant positive correlation with mobile phone addiction
(p<0.001). Structural equation modeling revealed that both depression and loneliness mediated the association between social
support and mobile phone addiction (p<0.001). Depression and loneliness sequentially mediated the association between social
support and mobile phone addiction (p<0.001). However, the relation between social support and mobile phone addiction was not
significant (p>0.05).
Conclusions: Social support can lower levels of mobile phone addiction among adolescents by reducing depression and
loneliness. This study sheds light on the underlying mechanisms between social support and mobile phone addiction, which has
profound implications for the prevention and interventions of adolescent problematic mobile phone use.

Keywords

social support; depression; loneliness; mobile phone addiction; adolescents

Hrčak ID:

290315

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/290315

Publication date:

3.11.2022.

Visits: 877 *