Mental health problems as mediators between self-esteem and internet addiction among adolescents

Mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) experienced by adolescents may be associated with internet addiction. Self-esteem may be negatively related to mental health problems, especially in teenagers. Self-esteem may be indirectly associated with internet addiction through its relationships with adolescents’ mental health problems. Therefore, this study aimed to explore mental health problems that mediated the association between self-esteem and internet addiction. A cross-sectional study was carried out between February and March 2025 among Vietnamese high school students. Participants filled out questionnaires on demographic characteristics, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Internet Addiction Test-Short Version. Group differences were examined using nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests), while partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with 5,000 bootstrap resamples was the primary analytical approach for testing mediation hypotheses and estimating path coefficients. In the total sample of 789 Vietnamese high school students (mean age = 16.96 years, standard deviation = 0.80), 54.6% were female. Depression (β = 0.180, p = .002), anxiety (β = 0.214, p < .001), and stress (β = 0.306, p < .001) were positively associated with internet addiction. Self-esteem was negatively associated with depression (β = -0.568, p < .001), anxiety (β = -0.537, p < .001), stress (β = -0.400, p < .001), and internet addiction (β = -0.288, p < .001). Additionally, depression (β = -0.102, p = .003), anxiety (β = -0.115, p < .001), and stress (β = -0.122, p < .001) showed significant indirect associations between self-esteem and internet addiction. The study provides insight into the associations between self-esteem and internet addiction, considering the mediating roles of mental health problems. While causal relationships cannot be drawn, the findings highlight the potential importance of these psychological factors in shaping internet use behaviors. Internet addiction reduction programs may thus consider incorporating mental health and self-esteem components into youth-focused awareness initiatives.