How Does Problematic Internet Use Influence Chinese Rural Adolescent Externalizing Problem Behaviors? The Mediating Role of Mental Health and the Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge

Abstract

This study aims to provide a new perspective on the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behavior among adolescents. Many studies have focused on the relationship between problematic Internet use and adolescent externalizing problem behavior; however, research on the underlying mechanism remain understudied. Altogether, 1116 Chinese rural adolescents aged 13–17 years completed a self-report questionnaire. The results indicate that: (1) Problematic Internet use has a negative effect on rural adolescent externalizing problem behaviors; (2) mental health has an effect on the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behaviors; and (3) parental knowledge may moderate the indirect effect by attenuating the relationship between problematic Internet use and externalizing problem behaviors. Regarding these findings, this study has discussed the potential reasons and provided some practical suggestions to improve problematic Internet use among rural adolescents.

Emotion dysregulation and psychopathological symptoms in non-clinical adolescents: The mediating role of boredom and social media use

“…Problematic social media use, instead, would not seem to be a putative transdiagnostic factor, but rather a dimension-specific factor, as it emerged to be involved in the path from emotion dysregulation to externalizing problems only. This evidence extends beyond the results by Yang and Zhu [ 84 ], which showed that problematic Internet use played a significant role in fostering adolescent externalizing problems. The mediating role of problematic social media use in the relation between emotion dysregulation and externalizing problems could be understood by considering that using social media offers immediate gratification and relief from negative affective states, thus potentially representing a means of emotion regulation.…”

“… High emotion regulation difficulties were directly related to high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems [ 45 , 54 ], as well as to high levels of boredom [ 11 , 81 ] and problematic social media use [ 37 , 80 , 87 ]; High levels of boredom and problematic social media use predicted high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems [ 33 , 49 , 69 , 84 ]. …”

“…High levels of boredom and problematic social media use predicted high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems [ 33 , 49 , 69 , 84 ].…”

“…In addition, the social media environment has the potential to trigger the biological systems responsible for the adolescents’ increased sensitivity to social feedback and rewards [ 63 ], as well as to enable the broadcasting of various aspects of their personality, interests, and identity [ 73 ]. Crucially, however, problematic social media use is a significant risk factor for adolescent mental health; for instance, it was found to be related to low self-esteem [ 9 ], loneliness, poor sleep quality [ 83 ], and both internalizing and externalizing psychological disorders [ 7 , 49 , 56 , 62 , 84 ].…”

“…As outlined above, emotion dysregulation, boredom, and problematic social media use represent well-established vulnerability factors for internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents [ 33 , 49 , 69 , 84 ]. However, the interplay between such factors remains unclear, as no prior scientific research has investigated them jointly.…”