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PreprintCited by 21Impact of Technology on AdolescentsStudent Stress and CopingMindfulness and Compassion Interventions

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The Impact of Academic Anxiety on Smartphone Addiction Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Regulatory Fatigue and the Moderating Role of Mindfulness

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Kong, Linghao, Zhao, Mingzhe, Huang, Weijun, Zhang, Weijuan, Liu, Junlin·2025·BMC Psychology
DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5898815/v1PMC PMC11983919

Preprint — published as 10.1186/s40359-025-02696-y · Paper page

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Abstract

Background Academic anxiety is recognized as a risk factor of smartphone addiction among college students. However, the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors remain insufficiently explored. Method This study examines the impact of academic anxiety on smartphone addiction, focusing on the mediating role of self-regulatory fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness. Using convenience sampling strategy, a cross-sectional survey was implemented. Data were collected from a survey of 685 college students by using the Academic Anxiety Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale, and Mindfulness Scale. The hypothesized moderated mediation model was analyzed using Hayes’ (2017) PROCESS macro (Model 59). Results Moderated mediation analysis finds that academic anxiety significantly positively predicts smartphone addiction (β = 0.30, t = 7.24, 95%CI=[0.22, 0.38], p<0.001) in college students. Academic anxiety also indirectly predicts smartphone addiction through self-regulatory fatigue (β = 0.09, t = 2.43, 95%CI=[0.02, 0.16], p<0.05), with the mediation effect accounting for 11.76%. The mediation pathways are moderated by mindfulness. Compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of academic anxiety on self-regulatory fatigue is stronger in students with high mindfulness(β = 0.10, t = 3.85, 95%CI=[0.05, 0.16], p<0.001). However, compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of self-regulatory fatigue on smartphone addiction is weaker in students with high mindfulness(β=-0.08, t= -2.53, 95%CI=[-0.15, -0.02], p<0.05). That is, among individuals with a high level of mindfulness, mindfulness enhances the positive relationship between academic anxiety and self-regulatory fatigue while weakening the positive association between self-regulatory fatigue and smartphone addiction. Conclusion These findings elucidate the internal mechanisms linking academic anxiety to smartphone addiction and underscoring the dual role of mindfulness. The results offer valuable insights for developing strategies to prevent and manage smartphone addiction among college students.

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Metadata

Authors
Kong, L., Zhao, M., Huang, W., Zhang, W., & Liu, J.
Affiliations
  • Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN)
  • Jiujiang University (CN)
  • The Fifth People's Hospital Of Jiujiang
  • Gannan Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
Zhao, Mingzhe
ORCID
Venue
BMC Psychology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-03-21
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
354-354
ISSN
2050-7283 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.21203/rs.3.rs-5898815/v1
PMC
PMC11983919
OpenAlex
W4409286102
Cited by
21
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 3
FWCI
36.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Keywords
academic anxiety, smartphone addiction, self-regulatory fatigue, mindfulness, university students, moderated mediation, smartphone use
MeSH terms
Self-Control, Smartphone, Internet Addiction Disorder, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Cross-Sectional Studies, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Male, Students, Universities, Behavior, Addictive, Young Adult, Mindfulness

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