TY - JOUR
T1 - Association between online and offline social support and internet addiction in a representative sample of senior high school students in Taiwan
T2 - The mediating role of self-esteem
AU - Lin, Min-Pei
AU - Wu, Jo Yung Wei
AU - You, Jianing
AU - Chang, Kuei Mien
AU - Hu, Wei Hsuan
AU - Xu, Sian
PY - 2018/7/1
Y1 - 2018/7/1
N2 - Based on the Sociometer Theory and DuBois’ conceptual framework for the relations of perceived social support and self-esteem in adolescence, this study was designed to examine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between online and offline social support and Internet addiction (IA) in a large representative sample of senior high school students in Taiwan. Using a cross-sectional design, 1922 participants (1019 females) were recruited from senior high schools using both stratified and cluster sampling, and a comprehensive survey was administered. Structure equation modeling and bootstrap analyses results showed that IA severity was significantly and negatively predicted by offline social support, and mediated through self-esteem. The results not only supported the Sociometer Theory, but were also consistent with the conceptual framework proposed by DuBois. Online social support positively predicted IA severity, but was unable to predict self-esteem. The mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between online and offline social support and IA severity were discussed.
AB - Based on the Sociometer Theory and DuBois’ conceptual framework for the relations of perceived social support and self-esteem in adolescence, this study was designed to examine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between online and offline social support and Internet addiction (IA) in a large representative sample of senior high school students in Taiwan. Using a cross-sectional design, 1922 participants (1019 females) were recruited from senior high schools using both stratified and cluster sampling, and a comprehensive survey was administered. Structure equation modeling and bootstrap analyses results showed that IA severity was significantly and negatively predicted by offline social support, and mediated through self-esteem. The results not only supported the Sociometer Theory, but were also consistent with the conceptual framework proposed by DuBois. Online social support positively predicted IA severity, but was unable to predict self-esteem. The mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between online and offline social support and IA severity were discussed.
KW - Internet addiction
KW - Offline social support
KW - Online social support
KW - Self-esteem
KW - Sociometer Theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042236022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042236022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.007
DO - 10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042236022
VL - 84
SP - 1
EP - 7
JO - Computers in Human Behavior
JF - Computers in Human Behavior
SN - 0747-5632
ER -