The Effect of Epidemic Stress Perception of <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 on Problematic Internet Use Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Core Self‐Evaluation

ABSTRACT To explore the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction and core self‐evaluation on the relationship between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among Chinese college students. A total of 597 college students were investigated by epidemic stress perception of COVID‐19 questionnaire, basic psychological needs satisfaction scale, core self‐evaluation scale and core self‐evaluation scale. (1) The four variables of epidemic stress perception, basic psychological needs satisfaction, core self‐evaluation and problematic internet use were significantly correlated with each other. (2) Basic psychological needs play a mediating role between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. (3) Core self‐evaluation plays a mediating role between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. (4) There is a chain of multiple mediating effects between basic psychological needs satisfaction and core self‐evaluation on the relationship between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. The epidemic stress perception of college students can not only be a result of the epidemic but also of the problematic internet use among college students.