The Influence of Loneliness on The Mobile Phone Addiction of Contemporary College Students: The Mediating Role of Online Social Support

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of loneliness on the mobile phone addiction, and to investigate the role of the psychological variable of online social support. Methods: 622 college students were surveyed by using the mobile phone addiction index (MPAI) scale, Online Social Support Questionnaire for College Students and the short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Results: The main effect of online social support and the mobile phone addiction on education level was significant. Loneliness was negatively correlated with online social support and the mobile phone addiction, online social support is positively correlated with the mobile phone addiction. Online social support was a complete mediator between loneliness and the mobile phone addiction.