Neuroticism and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Social Media Use: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

Although previous studies have confirmed the influence of neuroticism on problematic mobile social media use, mechanisms underlying this relation have not been well-understood. The present study investigated the mediating effect of self-control, as well as the moderating role of family socioeconomic status (FSES). A total of 1146 adolescents’ data (M_age = 16.11, SD_age = 0.97, 498 boys) were collected. Participants completed questionnaires about neuroticism, self-control, problematic mobile social media use, and FSES. The moderated mediation analysis showed that self-control mediated the positive association between neuroticism and problematic mobile social media use. In addition, FSES moderated the negative relation between self-control and problematic mobile social media use. Specifically, compared with adolescents in low FSES, the association between self-control and problematic mobile social media use was stronger for adolescents in high FSES. This study advanced our understanding of the development of problematic mobile social media use by revealing the potential mechanism between adolescent neuroticism and problematic mobile social media use.

Keywords:

• Family socioeconomic status
• neuroticism
• problematic mobile social media use
• self-control

Data availability statement

Data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32100868), the Humanity and Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education in China (20YJC190028), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province in China (BK20200719), the project of higher adult education reform in Nanjing Normal University (2022NSDJG032), and the outstanding teaching team of the ‘Qing Lan Project’ of universities of Jiangsu Province—Students Psychological Development and Education.

Notes on contributors

Jiayu Huang

Jiayu Huang is an research master student. She is interested in the development of smartphone addiction and her studies focus on the effects of risk factors on problematic smartphone addiction.

Yunxin Zhao

Yunxin Zhao is a candidate of doctoral student. Her research area mainly focused on internet psychology. Especially interested in examining the antecedent factors on internet-related behaviors.

Yuan Tang

Yuan Tang is an research master student. She is interested in the development of internet addictive behavior and her studies focus on the roles of risk factors on problematic internet use.

Hui Zhang

Hui Zhang is an associate professor of psychology at Nanjing Normal University. Her research focuses on understanding environmental (family environment) and individual factors (e.g. personality traits, self-control, etc) that contribute to social behavior in adolescence. She is interested in testing the issue in a way that answered why and under what circumstances these influences occurred and provide appropriate suggestions for parents, educators and clinicians.