The association between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use in Chinese college students: The chain mediating roles of social interaction anxiety and loneliness

Abstract

This study draws upon a large sample of Chinese college students to examine the chain mediating roles of social interaction anxiety and loneliness in the relation between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use. To test our hypothesis that social interaction anxiety and loneliness mediate the relation between autistic traits and excessive smartphone use, we recruited a sample of 1103 college students and asked them to complete an assessment that measured the degrees of autistic traits, social interaction anxiety, loneliness, and excessive smartphone use. The results showed significant correlations among these variables. More autistic traits, which are correlated with higher levels of social interaction anxiety and higher levels of loneliness, were found to be associated with excessive smartphone use. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for screening for excessive smartphone use among college students who demonstrate autistic traits. Social interaction anxiety and loneliness show great potential in screening for excessive smartphone use among college students with high levels of autistic traits. We discuss the practical implications of the findings and directions for future study.