Loneliness and mobile phone addiction in Chinese college students: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate (i) the relationship between loneliness and mobile phone addiction; (ii) the mediating role of negative affect in the association between loneliness and mobile phone addiction; and (iii) the moderating effect of perceived stress in the relationship between loneliness and mobile phone addiction. A total of 359 Chinese college students were recruited (female = 216; mean age = 19.56 years, SD = 1.61 years). Results showed that loneliness was associated with risk for mobile phone addiction. Mediation analysis highlighted that negative affect fully mediated the association between loneliness and increased mobile phone addiction. Moreover, moderated mediation analysis indicated that the association between negative affect and mobile phone addiction was moderated by perceived stress, so that risk for mobile phone addiction was higher when perceived stress was increased. In conclusion, our findings revealed that risk for mobile phone addiction was higher with loneliness and mood disorder indicators of negative affect and perceived stress.