The relationship between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use: a chain mediation model

Implications and ContributionThis study explores the relationship between social anxiety and PSU, highlighting the role of psychological, cognitive and behavioral risk factors in this new form of problematic behavior. Rumination and smartphone use played a serial mediating role between social anxiety and PSU. Findings raise concerns about the prevention of PSU. Socially anxious individuals avoid face-to-face communication by increasing their use of mobile phones. The relationship between anxiety and problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity has been studied; however, the association between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use, especially regarding psychological, cognitive and behavioral risk factors, requires further verification. The aim of the current study was to investigate the mediating role of smartphone use and rumination in the relationship between social anxiety and PSU. We recruited 825 Chinese undergraduate students by convenience sampling via a web-based survey that measured social anxiety (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, SIAS), PSU(Smartphone addiction scale-short version, SAS-SV), smartphone use (two questions about smartphone use time) and rumination (Rumination scale). Seven hundred twenty-one valid questionnaires were obtained (74.5% male). A significant positive correlation between social anxiety and PSU (beta = 0.1001, p < 0.001) was observed. Smartphone use and rumination mediated social anxiety and PSU severity. In the final model, smartphone use and rumination played a serial mediating role in the social anxiety and PSU relationship. Thus, future research should focus on rumination and its association with smartphone use.

Automated summary

This study explores the relationship between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use (PSU), highlighting the role of psychological, cognitive and behavioral risk factors. The findings suggest that rumination and smartphone use mediate the relationship between social anxiety and PSU. The study raises concerns about the prevention of PSU, as socially anxious individuals tend to avoid face-to-face communication by increasing their mobile phone use.