The moderating role of internet addiction severity on the relationship between affective temperaments and emotion regulation in adolescents and young adults

Findings suggest that IA severity moderates the link between affective temperaments and emotion regulation. Specifically, higher IA levels weakened the negative association between depressive/anxious temperaments and cognitive reappraisal, and also reduced the positive link between anxious temperament and suppression, indicating that problematic Internet use may buffer some temperament-related emotion regulation difficulties. Future longitudinal research is needed to clarify the long-term impact of this digital scaffolding on emotional development.