The Push and Pull of Friendships: Unveiling the Complex Effect of Peer Relationships on Migrant Children's Smartphone Addiction in China

ABSTRACT This study examines the nuanced relationship between peer relationships and smartphone addiction among migrant children in Guangzhou, China. Using cluster sampling, data were collected from 331 students in three schools through validated self‐report instruments. Generalized structural equation modelling (GSEM) and moderation analysis were employed to examine how peer relationships shape smartphone addiction and whether this effect varies across levels of teacher–student relationships. The results show that peer relationships have a direct positive effect on smartphone addiction while also exerting an indirect negative effect through self‐esteem. There was also tentative evidence that teacher–student relationships moderated this association. These findings underscore the complex interplay between social relationships and behavioural outcomes and offer important implications for interventions aimed at reducing smartphone addiction among migrant children.