A Vicious Cycle of Psychological Distress and Problematic Mobile Phone Use in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Test of a Dual Metacognitive Pathway

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between psychological distress and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) is a significant concern for adolescent mental health. However, the longitudinal dynamics of this relationship and the specific cognitive mechanisms driving it remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional relationship between psychological distress and PMPU, and to test the parallel mediating roles of positive and negative metacognitive beliefs. METHODS: = 15.18, SD = 1.92) in Zhejiang Province, China. Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, PMPU, and metacognitive beliefs. A latent cross-lagged panel model (L-CLPM) was used to test for bidirectional effects. The mediating pathways were tested using a longitudinal path model with bootstrapping. RESULTS: The L-CLPM confirmed a significant bidirectional relationship between psychological distress and PMPU. The mediation analysis revealed that the pathway from T1 psychological distress to T2 PMPU was significantly and simultaneously mediated by both T2 positive and negative metacognitive beliefs. The direct effect was nonsignificant in the presence of the mediators, and the strengths of the two mediation pathways did not statistically differ. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress and PMPU showed reciprocal prospective associations in adolescents. The pathway from distress to PMPU was accounted for by parallel positive and negative metacognitive beliefs, which may promote engagement and hinder disengagement. Interventions may therefore need to address both emotional distress and these metacognitive beliefs to disrupt this cycle.