The need to belong and pathological celebrity worship in Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of desire for fame and the moderating role of gender

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between need to belong (NTB) and celebrity worship, with a focus on the mediating roles of desire for fame. Additionally, the moderating role of gender in this mediation model was examined. A sample of 408 boys and 331 girls from Chinese high schools completed a survey measuring NTB, desire for fame, and pathological celebrity worship. Mediation analyses revealed that desire for fame mediated the association between NTB and adolescents' pathological celebrity worship. Specifically, higher levels of NTB were associated with a stronger desire for fame, which in turn was linked to more pathological celebrity worship. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis indicated that gender played a significant moderating role: the effect of NTB on desire for fame was stronger for boys, whereas the effect of desire for fame on pathological celebrity worship was more pronounced for girls. This study provides novel insights into the relationship between NTB and adolescents' pathological celebrity worship, highlighting the crucial role of desire for fame in shaping this link among boys and girls.