Effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction among college students: The mediators of social support and self-esteem

Many studies have determined the existence of a close association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction; however, the internal mechanism has not been fully investigated. This study explored the effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction among college students, focusing on the mediating effects of social support and self-esteem. Respondents were 442 college students, who completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Internet Addiction Test. Results showed that childhood maltreatment, social support, and self-esteem were all significantly correlated with internet addiction. Structural equation modeling results indicated that social support and self-esteem partially mediated the effect of childhood maltreatment on internet addiction. Limitations and implications of the current study are discussed.