A moderated mediation model of the relationship between quality of social relationships and internet addiction: mediation by loneliness and moderation by dispositional optimism

The current study aimed to develop and examine a moderated mediation model between quality of social relationships and Internet addiction, with dispositional optimism as a moderator, and loneliness as a mediator. A sample of 1341 college students from 4 universities in mainland China completed a self-report battery that included measures of quality of social relationships, dispositional optimism, emotional and social loneliness, and Internet addiction. Findings indicated that 1) Quality of social relationships was a strong predictor of Internet addiction; 2) Loneliness partially mediated the association between quality of social relationships and Internet addiction; and 3) Dispositional optimism buffered the negative effect of quality of social relationships, and such that the indirect effect between quality of social relationships and Internet addiction via loneliness was stronger for low optimists. The results were discussed to illuminate the mechanism in relation to theoretical and practical implication for the prevention and early detection of Internet addiction.