Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitions and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01589

. 2019 Jul 12:10:1589.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01589. eCollection 2019.

Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitions and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Ru-De Liu¹, Wei Hong¹, Yi Ding², Tian Po Oei^{3

4}, Rui Zhen⁵, Shuyang Jiang¹, Jingxuan Liu⁶

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
² Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY, United States.
³ School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Institute of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
⁶ Trinity School of Art and Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.

PMID: 31379655
PMCID: PMC6660258
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01589

Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitions and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Ru-De Liu et al. Front Psychol. 2019.

. 2019 Jul 12:10:1589.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01589. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Ru-De Liu¹, Wei Hong¹, Yi Ding², Tian Po Oei^{3

4}, Rui Zhen⁵, Shuyang Jiang¹, Jingxuan Liu⁶

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
² Graduate School of Education, Fordham University, New York, NY, United States.
³ School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Institute of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
⁶ Trinity School of Art and Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.

PMID: 31379655
PMCID: PMC6660258
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01589

Abstract

Previous studies have documented that psychological distress is related to problematic mobile phone use (PMPU), and sporadic research has investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the association. Based on the cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use (PIU), the self-control theory, and the problem-behavior theory, this study aimed to examine the mediating role of maladaptive cognitions toward mobile phones and the moderating role of effortful control between psychological distress and PMPU. Data were collected from 1,799 secondary school students (45.1% male; M _age = 14.07, SD = 1.69) using four self-reported questionnaires. The results revealed that maladaptive cognitions toward mobile phones partially mediated the relationship between psychological distress and PMPU. In addition, effortful control as a protective factor attenuated the indirect effect from psychological distress to PMPU. These findings advanced the understanding of the etiology of PMPU and the need to develop effective strategies for prevention, suggesting that schools and families should pay additional attention to students with psychological distress. Targeted interventions for integrating online and offline worlds and effortful control training programs may help to prevent adolescents from engaging in PMPU.

Keywords: adolescents; effortful control; maladaptive cognitions; moderated mediation; problematic mobile phone use; psychological distress.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

**Figure 1**
A moderated model after controlling for the effects of grade. All coefficient estimates are completely standardized. *Note.* ^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01, ^***p < 0.001.

**Figure 2**
Problematic mobile phone use as a function of maladaptive cognitions and effortful control controlling for psychological distress.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

How and when is academic stress associated with mobile phone addiction? The roles of psychological distress, peer alienation and rumination.
Zhang Y, Han M, Lian S, Cao X, Yan L. Zhang Y, et al. PLoS One. 2024 Feb 12;19(2):e0293094. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293094. eCollection 2024. PLoS One. 2024. PMID: 38346023 Free PMC article.
Leisure experience and mobile phone addiction: Evidence from Chinese adolescents.
Xia X, Qin S, Zhang S. Xia X, et al. Heliyon. 2024 Jan 17;10(3):e24834. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24834. eCollection 2024 Feb 15. Heliyon. 2024. PMID: 38317952 Free PMC article.
The Relationships between Effortful Control, Mind Wandering, and Mobile Phone Addiction Based on Network Analysis.
Qiu R, Guo Z, Wang X, Wang X, Cheng S, Zhu X. Qiu R, et al. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Jan 8;12(2):140. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12020140. Healthcare (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38255028 Free PMC article.
Zhongyong thinking (doctrine of the mean) and internet addiction: The mediation of maladaptive cognition and the moderation of subject.
Wei H, Xu H, Chen W, Lu L. Wei H, et al. Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 26;10:1045830. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1045830. eCollection 2022. Front Public Health. 2023. PMID: 36777778 Free PMC article.
The more academic burnout students got, the more problematic mobile phone use they suffered? A meta-analysis of mainland Chinese adolescents and young adults.
Li S, Xu M, Zhang Y, Wang X. Li S, et al. Front Psychol. 2023 Jan 16;13:1084424. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1084424. eCollection 2022. Front Psychol. 2023. PMID: 36726513 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. Anand N., Thomas C., Jain P. A., Bhat A., Thomas C., Prathyusha P. V., et al. . (2018). Internet use behaviors, Internet addiction and psychological distress among medical college students: a multi Centre study from South India. Asian J. Psychiatr. 37, 71–77. 10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.020, PMID: - DOI - PubMed
1. Anderson E. L., Steen E., Stavropoulos V. (2017). Internet use and problematic Internet use: a systematic review of longitudinal research trends in adolescence and emergent adulthood. Int. J. Adolesc. Youth 22, 430–454. 10.1080/02673843.2016.1227716 - DOI
1. Andrews G., Slade T. (2001). Interpreting scores on the Kessler psychological distress scale (K10). Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health 25, 494–497. 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00310.x, PMID: - DOI - PubMed
1. Badenes-Ribera L., Fabris M. A., Gastaldi F. G. M., Prino L. E., Longobardi C. (2019). Parent and peer attachment as predictors of Facebook addiction symptoms in different developmental stages (early adolescents and adolescents). Addict. Behav. 95, 226–232. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.05.009, PMID: - DOI - PubMed
1. Billieux J. (2012). Problematic use of the mobile phone: a literature review and a pathways model. Curr. Psychiatr. Rev. 8, 299–307. 10.2174/157340012803520522 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

[1] Anand N., Thomas C., Jain P. A., Bhat A., Thomas C., Prathyusha P. V., et al. . (2018). Internet use behaviors, Internet addiction and psychological distress among medical college students: a multi Centre study from South India. Asian J. Psychiatr. 37, 71–77. 10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.020, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[2] Anand N., Thomas C., Jain P. A., Bhat A., Thomas C., Prathyusha P. V., et al. . (2018). Internet use behaviors, Internet addiction and psychological distress among medical college students: a multi Centre study from South India. Asian J. Psychiatr. 37, 71–77. 10.1016/j.ajp.2018.07.020, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[3] Anderson E. L., Steen E., Stavropoulos V. (2017). Internet use and problematic Internet use: a systematic review of longitudinal research trends in adolescence and emergent adulthood. Int. J. Adolesc. Youth 22, 430–454. 10.1080/02673843.2016.1227716 - DOI

[4] Anderson E. L., Steen E., Stavropoulos V. (2017). Internet use and problematic Internet use: a systematic review of longitudinal research trends in adolescence and emergent adulthood. Int. J. Adolesc. Youth 22, 430–454. 10.1080/02673843.2016.1227716 - DOI

[5] Andrews G., Slade T. (2001). Interpreting scores on the Kessler psychological distress scale (K10). Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health 25, 494–497. 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00310.x, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[6] Andrews G., Slade T. (2001). Interpreting scores on the Kessler psychological distress scale (K10). Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health 25, 494–497. 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00310.x, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[7] Badenes-Ribera L., Fabris M. A., Gastaldi F. G. M., Prino L. E., Longobardi C. (2019). Parent and peer attachment as predictors of Facebook addiction symptoms in different developmental stages (early adolescents and adolescents). Addict. Behav. 95, 226–232. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.05.009, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[8] Badenes-Ribera L., Fabris M. A., Gastaldi F. G. M., Prino L. E., Longobardi C. (2019). Parent and peer attachment as predictors of Facebook addiction symptoms in different developmental stages (early adolescents and adolescents). Addict. Behav. 95, 226–232. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.05.009, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[9] Billieux J. (2012). Problematic use of the mobile phone: a literature review and a pathways model. Curr. Psychiatr. Rev. 8, 299–307. 10.2174/157340012803520522 - DOI

[10] Billieux J. (2012). Problematic use of the mobile phone: a literature review and a pathways model. Curr. Psychiatr. Rev. 8, 299–307. 10.2174/157340012803520522 - DOI

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitions and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Affiliations

Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Cognitions and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Related information

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources