Loneliness and mobile phone addiction: The roles of social anxiety and self-presentation

Zhang-Lian Xie¹, Zheng-Xin Hu², Jun Li³, Long-Wei Qin³, Kai-Peng Gan^3,*
1 School of Educational Science, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
2 School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650021, China
3 School of Law and Political Science, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Kunming, 650221, China
* Corresponding Author: Kai-Peng Gan. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.067701

Received 09 May 2025; Accepted 09 December 2025; Published online 03 February 2026

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Abstract

This study examined the relationship between loneliness and mobile phone addiction (MPA), and the mediating roles of social anxiety and self presentation in that relationship. The sample comprised 559 students (male = 250, female = 309, mean age = 20.78 years, SD = 1.13 years). Based on bias-corrected bootstrap method, our indicate loneliness to be associated with MPA of college students. Additionally, social anxiety and self-presentation, respectively, partially mediated the association between loneliness and college students’ MPA. Specifically, as loneliness increased, both social anxiety and self-presentation rose, thereby increasing MPA. Social anxiety and self-presentation also sequentially mediated the relationship between loneliness and MPA among college students, such that greater loneliness heightened social anxiety, which subsequently enhanced self-presentation, ultimately resulting in increased MPA. These findings are consistent with Compensatory Internet Use Theory (CIUT). This study findings suggest for college students counselling and development services should alleviate loneliness and social anxiety through group activities, Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT), and social skills training to foster belonging and reduce students’ reliance on mobile phones.