Investigating the mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between self-efficacy, happiness, social support, and Internet addiction in adolescents

Abstract There is an increase in Internet addiction among adolescents with the rise in access to digital technologies in recent years. However, studies on protective factors against Internet addiction are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the links between self-efficacy, happiness, social support, and Internet addiction among adolescents, and whether these relationships were mediated by resilience. The moderation effect of gender was also investigated. The sample included 598 middle and high school students aged 11–18 (47.3% girls, Mean age = 13.96 SD = 2.15). The participants completed the Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Version, Child and Youth Resilience Measure, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire - Short Form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a demographic questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling and the bootstrapping method. Findings indicated that resilience was negatively associated with Internet addiction. Self-efficacy, happiness, and social support were directly associated with resilience, and also indirectly with Internet addiction. Resilience has a full mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy, happiness, social support, and adeolescent Internet addiction. In addition, the moderation tests were not significant by gender. The findings may help mental health professionals to understand the effects of resilience, self-efficacy, happiness, and social support on adolescent Internet addiction and to structure prevention or intervention studies for Internet addiction among adolescents.