Religiosity and psychological adjustment: a chain mediation model of social media addiction and loneliness

Purpose Although the effect of religiosity on psychological health has been a topic of debate for a long time, the mechanisms underlying this relationship still need to be sufficiently elucidated. This study aims to examine the sequential mediating roles of social media addiction and loneliness in the relationship between religiosity and psychological adjustment. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 309 participants (60.2 % females; Mean age = 25.53 ± 7.74) through an online survey using a convenience sampling method. Findings The findings revealed negative relationships between religiosity and psychological adjustment, social media addiction and loneliness. Social media addiction and loneliness were found to mediate the association between religiosity and psychological adjustment. A chain mediation model showed that loneliness increased psychological adjustment via social media addiction. Originality/value These results highlight the influence of religiosity on psychological adjustment while illustrating how loneliness, through social media addiction, diminishes this effect. This study presents important evidence about the role of religiosity in psychological adjustment and informs interventions aimed at enhancing religiosity’s positive impacts while mitigating loneliness and social media addiction.