Open Access

ARTICLE

Social exclusion and mobile phone dependence: The mediating effect of self-esteem and the moderating role of rejection sensitivity

Jiwen Chen¹, Jiahui Wu¹, Xuehua Yu¹, Shuangshuang Cai¹, Shun Peng², Xiangyue Yun^1,*

1 School of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
2 School of Education, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, China

* Corresponding Author: Xiangyue Yun. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2026, 36(4), 631-641. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.077893

Received 18 December 2025; Accepted 11 June 2026; Issue published 31 August 2026

Abstract

This study examined the role of self-esteem mediates and rejection sensitivity in the relationship between social exclusion and mobile phone dependence. A sample of 715 Chinese college students (females = 60.1%, mean age = 19.06, SD = 1.34 years) completed self-report measures of social exclusion, self-esteem, rejection sensitivity, and mobile phone dependence. Results following regression analysis indicate social exclusion is related to higher mobile phone dependence. Self-esteem plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between social exclusion and mobile phone dependence, higher levels of social exclusion are associated with lower levels of self-esteem, and lower self-esteem in turn leads to higher mobile phone dependence. Rejection sensitivity moderated the first half of the mediation path (social exclusion → self-esteem), to suggest higher phone dependence by individuals reporting higher in rejection sensitivity. The findings are consistent with the need to belong theory, which states that social exclusion threatens the fundamental need for social belonging, causing reduced self-esteem and motivating individuals to use mobile phones as a compensatory tool for real-world social connections. Interventions enhancing self-esteem and adaptive coping may help reduce mobile phone dependence risks, especially for individuals with high rejection sensitivity.

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Keywords

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