Relationship Between Stressful Life Events and Online Deviant Behaviors Among College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

With the gradual penetration of the Internet into the study and life of college students, the Internet not only brings convenience to young adults but also becomes a new channel for them to engage in deviant behaviors. This study explores the relationship between stressful life events and college students’ online deviant behaviors, as well as the mediating role of negative automatic thoughts and the moderating role of perceived social support. Data is drawn from 448 college students (M_age = 20.10, SD_age = 1.74). Results showed that stressful life events were significantly positively correlated with online deviant behaviors, and negative automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between stressful life events and online deviant behaviors. The relationship between stressful life events and online deviant behaviors, as well as that between negative automatic thoughts and online deviant behaviors, were both moderated by perceived social support. This study provides a practical guiding value for effectively preventing and intervening in college students’ online deviant behaviors and maintaining the regular order of the online society.

Keywords:

• Online deviant behaviors
• stressful life events
• negative automatic thoughts
• perceived social support

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Xianliang Zheng

Xianliang Zheng is a professor at the School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, China. His main research interests are in Internet psychology and behavior, and he has especially conducted systematic research on Internet altruistic behavior.

Lin Chen

Lin Chen is a master’s degree student at the School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, China. Her research interests focus on online deviant behaviors and problematic short video use behaviors.

Xiangsen Zhou

Xiangsen Zhou is a master’s degree student at the School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, China. His research interests focus on Internet altruistic behavior and Internet altruistic punishment.

Jielin Wang

Jielin Wang is a master’s degree student at the School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, China. Her research interests focus on Internet altruistic behavior.

Xiangqin Li

Xiangqin Li is a master’s degree student at the School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, China. Her research interests focus on Internet altruistic behavior.