Social exclusion and mobile phone dependence in college students: a moderated mediation model of self-control and social self-efficacy

This study integrated Compensatory Internet Use Theory with the I-PACE model to examine a moderated mediation model, aiming to understand the psychological processes linking social exclusion and mobile phone dependence among college students. A cross-sectional survey of 438 Chinese college students (after data cleaning) using validated scales revealed three key findings: First, social exclusion was positively associated with mobile phone dependence; Second, self-control partially mediated this association. Third, social self-efficacy moderated both the direct link between social exclusion and dependence and the first stage of the mediating pathway (from social exclusion to self-control). Consistent with the Expectancy Violation Theory, the positive correlation between social exclusion and mobile phone dependence was stronger among students with higher (vs. lower) social self-efficacy. These findings reveal complex mechanisms underlying mobile phone dependence, highlighting the mediating role of self-control and the counter-amplifying effect of social self-efficacy. Thus, while self-control training may offer broad benefits, tailored interventions should be designed for individuals with high social self-efficacy. Such interventions should guide their social confidence toward repairing offline relationships rather than retreating into online compensatory behaviors.