Peer victimization and adolescent Internet addiction: The mediating role of psychological security and the moderating role of teacher-student relationships

Abstract

Previous studies have documented that peer victimization is a significant risk factor causing Internet addiction among adolescents. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. On the basis of the emotional security theory and the resilience theory, this study examined whether psychological security would mediate the relation between peer victimization and adolescent Internet addiction, and whether teacher-student relationships would moderate the mediating process. Participants comprised 747 Chinese students (mean age = 13.73 years, SD = 1.00) recruited from three middle schools. They provided self-reported data on demographic variables, peer victimization, psychological security, teacher-student relationship, and Internet addiction. After controlling for age, gender, parents' education, and family's financial status, mediation analysis indicated that psychological security fully mediated the association between peer victimization and adolescent Internet addiction. Moderated mediation analysis further demonstrated that positive teacher-student relationships ameliorated the adverse impact of peer victimization on psychological security, thereby mitigating the indirect effect of peer victimization on Internet addiction among adolescents. This study highlights the mediating and moderating mechanisms linking peer victimization to Internet addiction and has important implications for the prevention and intervention of Internet addiction among adolescents.