Social anxiety and adolescent students’ internet fiction reading: Self-esteem mediation and school grade moderation

Qiaobo Wei^1,2, Hui Zhou^1,3,*
1 Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
2 Yuntai School of Zhengdong New District, Zhengzhou, China
3 Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
* Corresponding Author: Hui Zhou. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.068776

Received 06 June 2025; Accepted 22 January 2026; Published online 27 March 2026

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Abstract

We investigated the relationship between social anxiety on adolescent students’ internet fiction reading and mediation by self-esteem. A total of 774 adolescent students (female = 48.9%; mean age 13.39 ± 1.46) completed surveys on internet fiction addiction, social anxiety and self-esteem. Mediation analysis results indicated a significant school grade placement effect in internet fiction reading to be lower . The self-esteem of adolescent students plays a mediating role between social anxiety and internet fiction reading for higher internet fiction reading with higher self-esteem. This mediating effect accounts for about two-thirds of the total effect. This study suggests personal factors like self-esteem are important to how adolescent student’s navigate internet fiction reading. Student counselling and development services should pay attention to adolescent students’ social anxiety and improve their self-esteem, to reduce the tendency of adolescent students’ internet fiction addiction.