The Mediating Role of Loneliness and the Moderating Role of Gender between Peer Phubbing and Adolescent Mobile Social Media Addiction

Xiao-Pan Xu, Qing-Qi Liu (), Zhen-Hua Li and Wen-Xian Yang ()
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Xiao-Pan Xu: Institute for Public Policy and Social Management Innovation, College of Political Science and Public Administration, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Qing-Qi Liu: College of Education for the Future, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China
Zhen-Hua Li: School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Wen-Xian Yang: Center of Mental Health Education and Counseling, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-10

Abstract: Mobile social media addiction has been a pressing issue in adolescents. The present study examined the mediation of loneliness between peer phubbing and mobile social media addiction among Chinese adolescents and tested whether gender could moderate the direct and indirect effects of peer phubbing. A total of 830 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age ( M age = 14.480, SD age = 1.789) completed an anonymous self-report survey. The results showed that peer phubbing was positively associated with mobile social media addiction. Loneliness partially mediated peer phubbing and adolescent mobile social media addiction. There were significant gender differences in the direct and indirect effects of peer phubbing on mobile social media addiction. The direct effect of peer phubbing and the indirect effect through loneliness were relatively higher in girls than in boys. The results highlight the critical role of loneliness in linking peer phubbing to adolescent mobile social media addiction and the vital role of gender in moderating the direct and indirect impacts of peer phubbing. The findings promote a better understanding of how peer phubbing is associated with adolescent mobile phone addiction and for whom the effect of peer phubbing is potent.

Keywords: peer phubbing; mobile social media addiction; loneliness; gender; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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