Correlational Research on Mobile Phone Addiction and the Interpersonal Relationship Distress of Chinese College Students
Ethics in Progress (ISSN 2084-9257). Vol. 14 (2023). No. 1
PDF

Keywords

Mobile phone addiction
interpersonal relationship distress
basic psychological needs
negative coping styles

How to Cite

He, L., Yang, S., & Meng, Y. (2023). Correlational Research on Mobile Phone Addiction and the Interpersonal Relationship Distress of Chinese College Students. ETHICS IN PROGRESS, 14(1), 126–143. https://doi.org/10.14746/eip.2023.1.8

Number of views: 955


Number of downloads: 333

Abstract

In this essay, we utilized the following scales: Mobile and Internet Addiction Test, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Negative Coping Style Questionnaire, and Interpersonal Relationships Assessment Scale. With those, we surveyed 1,730 college students, investigating the influence of mobile phone addiction on their interpersonal relationship distress and the mediating chain effect of basic psychological needs and negative coping styles on mobile phone addiction and interpersonal relationship distress. The results indicate that: (1) Mobile phone addiction can predict interpersonal relationship distress in college students; (2) Basic psychological needs serve as the mediating variables between mobile phone addiction and interpersonal relationship distress; (3) Negative coping styles prove to be the mediator between mobile phone addiction and interpersonal relationship distress; and (4) Basic psychological needs and negative coping styles establish a mediating chain effect between mobile phone addiction and interpersonal relationship distress.

https://doi.org/10.14746/eip.2023.1.8
PDF

References

Bianchi A. & Phillips J. G. 2005. “Psychological Predictors of Problem Mobile Phone Use,” Cyberpsychology and Behaviour 8(1):39–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2005.8.39

Billieux J. 2012. “Problematic Use of the Mobile Phone: A Literature Review and a Pathways Model,” Current Psychiatry Reviews 8(4):299–307. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2174/157340012803520522

Billieux J., Linden M. V. D. & Rochat L. 2008. “The Role of Impulsivity in Actual and Problematic Use of the Mobile Phone,” Applied Cognitive Psychology 22:1195–1210. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1429

Chen H. M. 2008. “A Study on the Current Situation and Relationship between Interpersonal Values, Self-concept and Interpersonal Relationships among University Students.” Master’s thesis of Fujian Normal University.

Chan H. P. & Zheng X. L. 2021. “Studying on the Relationship between Self-identity, Interpersonal Adaptation and Mobile Phone Dependence of College Students,” The Chinese Health Service Management 38(2):142–145.

China Internet Network Information. The Chinese Health Service Management Center. (retrieved on August 31, 2022). The 50th Statistics Report on the China’s internet Development. URL: https://cnnic.cn/n4/2022/0914/c88-10226.html.

Deci E. L. & Ryan R. M. 2000. “The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-determination of Behavior,” Psychological Inquiry 11:227–268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

Deng C. 2021. “The Effect of Interpersonal Vexation on Mobile Phone Dependence of Postgraduates: The Chain Mediating Role of Loneliness and Self-harmony.” Master’s thesis of Jiangnan University.

Fan J. X. 2021. “Investigation on the Relationships between Mobile Phone Dependence and Interpersonal Disturbance of College Students,” Journal of Technology and Education No.: 131–133.

Fu D. D. 2019. “The Mediating Effect of Coping Style between Interpersonal Relationship

Distress and SCL-90 Factors of College Students,” Journal of Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University 29(2):142–151.

Gan Q. Y. 2015. “An Analysis of the Relationship between Basic Psychological Needs, Self-efficacy and Mobile Phone Dependence among University Students,” Journal of Weinan Normal University 30(6):61–64.

Gan Q. Y. 2014. “Relation between College Students’ Dependence on Mobile Phones and Loneliness: The Intermediary Role of Basic Psychological Needs,” Journal of Wenshan College 27(6):96–120.

Gong Y. P., Chen Z., Xie J. L., & Xie X. C. 2019. “Antecedents, Consequences and Mechanisms of Action of Mobile Phone Cold Calling Behavior,” Advances in Psychological Science 27(7):1258–1267. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1042.2019.01258

Han Y. P., Hu Q. T., Zhang Y., Du X. H., Wu R. N., Chen X. M., & Chen W. T. 2018. “A Study on Interpersonal Relationship Problems and Coping Styles in College Students’ Dormitories,” Education Management No.:134–135.

He A. M., Wang X. Q. & Hui Q. P. 2018. “The Relationship between Loneliness and Mobile Phone Dependence among University Students: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Negative Coping Styles,” Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology 26(6):1222–1225.

Hu D. D., Xu Y., Ding J. E., & Li J. 2017. “Preliminary Development of a Classification Scale for Mobile Phone Internet Addiction among University Students,” Health Education in China 33(6):505–508.

Hu S. S. 2015. “A Study on the Relationship between Sources of Control, Social Anxiety and the Tendency of Mobile Phone Addiction among University Students.” Master’s thesis of Beijing Institute of Technology.

Kuang N. T. 2018. “The Effect of Online Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction on Online Self-disclosure among College Students: The Mediation Role of Online Interpersonal Trust.” Master’s thesis of Jilin University.

Li K., Zhong J. J., Qu J., Bai N. D., Wang Y., Qi Y. F., & Man D. E. W. 2021. “An Analysis of the Chain-Mediated Effects of Interpersonal Adaptation on Smartphone Addiction among College Students,” Chinese Journal of Health Statistics 38(2):219–221.

Li Y. X., Liu H. R. & Yao M. L. 2019. “The Roles of Autonomy Support from Parents and Head Teacher in Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being and Loneliness: A Person-Centered Perspective,” Journal of Psychological Science 42(4):827–833.

Lian S. L., Liu Q. Q., Sun X. J., & Zhou Z. K. 2018. “The Relationship between Mobile Phone Addiction and Procrastination in College Students: A Moderated Mediating Effect Analysis,” Psychological Development and Education 34(5):595–604.

Liang Q., Chen Q. F., Xie X. D., & Wei X. 2019. “Parental Psychological Control, Academic Efficacy and Problematic Online Game Use among Adolescents: The Moderating Tole of the Parent-Child Relationship,” Educational Measurement and Evaluation 30(6):61–64.

Liao H. Y., Zhong Y. H., Wang R. R., & Tang H. 2016. “Mobile Phone Addiction, Self-Esteem, Shyness and Interpersonal Communication Disturbance,” Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology 24(5):852–855.

Liu Q. X., Zhang J. Y. & Lin Y. 2021. “The Relationship between Smartphone Addiction and Inhibitory Control in University Students: The Moderating Role of Mobile Phone Location and Cognitive Load,” Psychological Development and Education 37(2):257–265.

Liu J. S., Lin L. L., Lv Y., Wei C. B., Zhou Y., & Chen X. Y. 2013. “A Preliminary Test of the Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Basic Psychological Needs Inventory,” Chinese Journal of Mental Health 27(10):791–795.

Lin L. N., Liu M., Kaung J. W., Zhu H. Q., Nan J. 2021. “The Effect of Negative Life Events on Depression in University Students: A Chain Mediating Effect,” China Journal of Health Psychology 129(6):932–936.

Lopez-Fernandez O., Kuss D., Griffiths D. M., & Billieux J. 2015. “The Conceptualization and Assessment of Problematic Mobile Phone Use,” in A. Harris & M. Cooper (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Mobile Phone Behavior (pp. 591–606). IGI Global. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-8239-9.ch050

Ma X. Q. 2022. “The Relationship between Interpersonal Sensitivity and Mobile Phone Addiction in College Students: The Chain Mediated Effect of Social Support and Coping Style.” Master’s thesis of Harbin Normal University.

Qiu Z. Y., Mao H. L., Wu W., Yuan M. Q., Zhang B., & Shi Z. F. 2021. “Influence of Self-Identity on Mobile Phone Addiction: Mediating Effect of Negative Coping Style,” Journal of Bio-education 9(1):6–10.

Rogers C. R. 1962. “The Interpersonal Relationship: The Core of Guidance,” Harvard Educational Review 32(4):416–429.

Ryan R. M., Rigby C. S. & Przybylski A. K. 2006. “The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-determination Theory Approach,” Motivation and Emotion 30:347–364. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-006-9051-8

Son H., Thomas S. A. & Friedmann E. 2013. “Longitudinal Changes in Coping for Spouses of Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients,” Western Journal of Nursing Research 35:1011–1025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945913484814

Song K. & Zhou T. T. 2020. “The Impact of Different Types of Mobile Phone Addiction on Interpersonal Relationships in Higher Education Student Dormitories,” Journal of Heilongjiang Ecological Engineering Vocational College 33(2):122–124.

Shi J. G. 2009. “Mobile Phone Dependency Syndrome,” Academic World 19(2):138–139.

Su S., Pan T. T., Liu Q. X., Chen X. W., Wang Y. J., & Li M. Y. 2014. “Preliminary Development of a Smartphone Addiction Scale for University Students,” Chinese Mental Health Journal 28(5):392–397. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t64077-000

Tan Z. K. & Yang L. 2018. Interpersonal Relations. Beijing: Capital University of Economics and Business Press.

Wang Y. L., Tong L. & Ji C. Q. 2013. “A Survey on the Quality of Interpersonal Relationship among College Students,” Journal of Chongqing University of Science and Technology (Social Sciences Edition) 7:177–178.

Wen Z. L., Zhang L., Hou J. T., & Liu H. Y. 2004. “Testing and Application of the Mediating Effects,” Journal of Psychology 36(5):614–620.

Xia F. & Ye B. J. 2014. “The Effect of Stressful Life Events on Adolescents’ Tobacco and Alcohol Use: The Chain Mediating Effect of Basic Psychological Needs and Coping Style,” Journal of Psychological Science 37(6):1385–1391.

Xie Y. N. 1998. “A Preliminary Study on the Reliability and Validity of the Brief Coping Style Scale,” Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology 6(2):114–115.

Xiong J., Zhou Z. Q. & Chen W. 2012. “The Development of the Mobile Phone Addiction Scale for College Students,” Chinese Journal of Mental Health 26(3):222–225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t74211-000

Xiong S. C., Yuan M. Q., Zhang B., & Li Y. X. 2018. “Relationship Between Loneliness and Mobile Phone Addiction: The Mediating Effect of Negative Emotion and Negative Coping,” China Journal of Health Psychology 26(12):1857–1861.

Ye T. 2019. “The Influence of Teacher Support on Interpersonal Adaptability of College Freshmen: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs and Sense of Coherence.” Master’s thesis of professional degree of Sichuan Normal University.

Yu C. P., Zhang W., Zeng Y. Y., Ye T., Hu J. P., & Li D. L. 2012. “Gratitude, Basic Psychological Needs, and Problematic Internet Use in Adolescence,” Psychological Development and Education 1:83–90.

Zhang Y. S., Yang X. X., Yang Y. J., & Qiao Z. X. 2021. “Conditional Process Analysis of the Influence of Interpersonal Relationship on Mobile Phone Dependence,” Psychological Month 3(16):5–7.

Zhao C. L. & Zheng Y. 2009. “A Research on the Influencing Factors of the Quality of College Students’ Interpersonal Relationship,” Psychological Science 32(4):983–985.

Zheng R. C. 2005. Psychological Diagnosis of University Students. Shandong Education Press.

Zheng X. 2004. Social Psychology. Jinan University Press.

Zhang Y. Q., Liu Y. C. & Zhou X. Z. 2017. “The Relationship between Social Support and Internet Addiction under Loss of Compensation Theory: The Chain Mediating the Role of Basic Psychological Needs and Coping Styles,” Research Findings:15–18.