Perceived stress and mobile phone addiction among China Nursing Students: The chain-mediating role of anxiety and flow experience

Abstract

Background: The relationship between perceived stress and mobile phone addiction among nursing students requires elucidation, alongside the clarification of potential explanatory pathways for associated risks. Methods: 4179 freshmen and sophomore students participated in this investigation. Several assessment tools were employed, including the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, Flow State Scale, and Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale. Data analysis encompassed descriptive statistics, independent sample T-tests, Pearson correlation analysis, and Hayes' PROCESS 3.5 for chain-mediated modeling. Results: Pearson correlation analysis unveiled positive associations between perceived stress and anxiety (r=0.507, p<0.01), flow experience (r=0.657, p<0.01), and mobile phone addiction (r=0.578, p<0.01). Anxiety exhibited positive correlations with flow experience (r=0.490, p<0.01) and mobile phone addiction (r=0.564, p<0.01). Additionally, flow experience showed a positive relationship with mobile phone addiction (r=0.579, p<0.01). Chain mediation analysis revealed that anxiety [mediated effect: 26.62%, SE=0.014, 95% CI= (0.182,0.237)] and flow experience [mediated effect: 25.05%, SE=0.014, 95% CI= (0.169,0.225)] partially mediated the link between perceived stress and mobile phone addiction, respectively. Perceived stress exerted its influence on mobile phone addiction through the chain-mediated effects of anxiety and flow experience [mediating effect: 4.98%, SE=0.039, 95% CI= (0.031, 0.047)]. Conclusion: Perceived stress not only directly impacts the mobile phone addiction tendencies of nursing students but also exerts indirect effects via the independent mediation of anxiety and flow experience. Moreover, perceived stress affects mobile phone addiction through the chain-mediated pathway involving both anxiety and flow experience.