The Influence of Peer Pressure on Smartphone Addiction: The Mediating Role of Loneliness and Anxiety

This study examines how peer pressure impacts smartphone addiction among college students, focusing on the mediating roles of loneliness and anxiety. The findings offer important insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying smartphone addiction and provide practical implications for mental health interventions targeting college students. Our research surveyed 521 college students from six universities in southeastern China using the Peer Pressure Scale, the Short-Form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the Short-Form Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV). The results revealed that peer pressure significantly predicted smartphone addiction, with loneliness and anxiety mediating this relationship. Specifically, anxiety served as a full mediator, while loneliness partially mediated the effect. These findings contribute to the understanding of how social and psychological factors influence addictive behaviors and underscore the importance of addressing loneliness and anxiety in interventions aimed at reducing smartphone addiction.