The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender

Junxing Pan,1 Junqiao Guo,2 Yangjie Wu,3 Xiaoyun Zhao4 1Department of Students’ Affair, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Education, Bozhou University, Bozhou, Peop...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pan J, Guo J, Wu Y, Zhao X
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-01-01
Series:Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/the-influence-of-negative-emotions-on-mobile-phone-addiction-among-chi-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PRBM
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850078889038053376
author Pan J
Guo J
Wu Y
Zhao X
author_facet Pan J
Guo J
Wu Y
Zhao X
author_sort Pan J
collection DOAJ
description Junxing Pan,1 Junqiao Guo,2 Yangjie Wu,3 Xiaoyun Zhao4 1Department of Students’ Affair, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Education, Bozhou University, Bozhou, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Education, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaoyun Zhao, Email zhaoxiaoyun1980@163.comBackground: Negative emotions (depression and anxiety) are highly correlated with mobile phone addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. The aim of this study is to further elucidate the relationship between negative emotions and mobile phone addiction among college students, with negative coping styles as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable.Methods: A survey was conducted on 509 college students from two universities in Anhui Province, China, covering topics such as mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, and negative coping styles. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between variables.Results: Depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, and mobile phone addiction are all significantly positively correlated. Negative coping styles mediate the relationship between depression, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction among college students. Gender regulates the relationship between depression/anxiety and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, the impact of negative emotions (depression and anxiety) on mobile phone addiction is greater in the male group than in the female group.Conclusion: This study further reveals the psychological mechanisms behind the relationship between negative emotions (depression and anxiety) and mobile phone addiction. Negative coping styles are the mediating factor in this relationship, while gender is the moderating factor in this relationship.Keywords: mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, college students, gender
format Article
id doaj-art-c79cd8b87a834651bf44bc592f94191d
institution DOAJ
issn 1179-1578
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Psychology Research and Behavior Management
spelling doaj-art-c79cd8b87a834651bf44bc592f94191d2025-08-20T02:45:25ZengDove Medical PressPsychology Research and Behavior Management1179-15782025-01-01Volume 1831398954The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of GenderPan JGuo JWu YZhao XJunxing Pan,1 Junqiao Guo,2 Yangjie Wu,3 Xiaoyun Zhao4 1Department of Students’ Affair, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Education, Bozhou University, Bozhou, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Education, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaoyun Zhao, Email zhaoxiaoyun1980@163.comBackground: Negative emotions (depression and anxiety) are highly correlated with mobile phone addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. The aim of this study is to further elucidate the relationship between negative emotions and mobile phone addiction among college students, with negative coping styles as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable.Methods: A survey was conducted on 509 college students from two universities in Anhui Province, China, covering topics such as mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, and negative coping styles. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between variables.Results: Depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, and mobile phone addiction are all significantly positively correlated. Negative coping styles mediate the relationship between depression, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction among college students. Gender regulates the relationship between depression/anxiety and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, the impact of negative emotions (depression and anxiety) on mobile phone addiction is greater in the male group than in the female group.Conclusion: This study further reveals the psychological mechanisms behind the relationship between negative emotions (depression and anxiety) and mobile phone addiction. Negative coping styles are the mediating factor in this relationship, while gender is the moderating factor in this relationship.Keywords: mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, college students, genderhttps://www.dovepress.com/the-influence-of-negative-emotions-on-mobile-phone-addiction-among-chi-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PRBMmobile phone addictiondepressionanxietynegative coping strategiescollege students
spellingShingle Pan J
Guo J
Wu Y
Zhao X
The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
mobile phone addiction
depression
anxiety
negative coping strategies
college students
title The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
title_full The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
title_fullStr The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
title_short The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender
title_sort influence of negative emotions on mobile phone addiction among chinese college students the mediating role of negative coping styles and the moderating role of gender
topic mobile phone addiction
depression
anxiety
negative coping strategies
college students
url https://www.dovepress.com/the-influence-of-negative-emotions-on-mobile-phone-addiction-among-chi-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PRBM
work_keys_str_mv AT panj theinfluenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT guoj theinfluenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT wuy theinfluenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT zhaox theinfluenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT panj influenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT guoj influenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT wuy influenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender
AT zhaox influenceofnegativeemotionsonmobilephoneaddictionamongchinesecollegestudentsthemediatingroleofnegativecopingstylesandthemoderatingroleofgender