The role of boredom proneness and self-control in the association between anxiety and smartphone addiction among college students: a multiple mediation model

Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health

Qi Xu¹  Chang Fu¹  Li Zhang¹  Baokai Wang² 

[1] School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China;Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong, China;

关键词: anxiety;    boredom proneness;    self-control;    smartphone addiction;    multiple mediating effects;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2023.1201079

 received in 2023-04-06, accepted in 2023-07-12,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSmartphone addiction has been found to be a widespread public health issue, especially among youth. Previous studies reported a significant association between anxiety and smartphone addiction, but the underlying mechanism in this relationship is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating roles of boredom proneness and self-control in the relationship between anxiety and smartphone addiction.MethodsSelf-reported measures of anxiety, boredom proneness, self-control and smartphone addiction were administered to 1,526 Chinese college students.ResultsSmartphone addiction scores varied between 10 and 60 with an average of 30.89 ± 10.57 points. Anxiety had a direct and positive effect on smartphone addiction (effect = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.11–0.25), and an indirect effect on smartphone addiction through boredom proneness (effect = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.06–0.15) and self-control (effect = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.13–0.20). Boredom proneness and self-control sequentially mediated the relationship between anxiety and smartphone addiction (effect = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.10–0.15).ConclusionAnxiety is positively associated with smartphone addiction, and boredom proneness and self-control are important mediators in this relationship. Strengthening self-control and mitigating boredom could prevent smartphone addiction in anxious college students.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Wang, Xu and Fu.