Structural Model of Smartphone Addiction and Social Anxiety: Mediating Role of Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Avoidant Coping Style

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Student,, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kashan , Kashan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Kas.C., Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran.

10.48308/apsy.2026.241269.1889

Abstract

Aim: The present study aims to model the structural equations of smartphone addiction based on social anxiety with the mediating role of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and avoidant coping style.   
Method: The present study was a descriptive correlational study using structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study included students of Imam Khomeini International University of Qazvin in 1404, from which 200 people were selected using convenience sampling. The research instruments included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by Garnefski et al. (2006), the Stress Coping Strategies Questionnaire by Endler and Parker (1990), the Smartphone Addiction Scale by Kwon et al. (2013), and the Social Phobia Questionnaire by Connor et al. (2000). The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software and structural equation modeling.     
Results: The results of structural equation modeling showed that the research model had a good fit after modification. also, the final model was able to explain 46% of the variance of smartphone addiction. The direct effect of social anxiety on smartphone addiction was not significant, but its indirect effect through maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and avoidant coping style  are significant.
Conclusion: The results showed that social anxiety indirectly leads to smartphone addiction through maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and avoidant coping style.These results emphasize the importance of paying attention to cognitive and behavioral mechanisms in the prevention and treatment of smartphone addiction.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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