The Role of Self-blame and Other-blame Strategies on the Symptoms of Internet Addiction by the Mediation of Anxiety

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of self-blame and other-blame on the symptoms of Internet addiction by the mediation of anxiety. In this study, the sample included 246 4th-grade male students from state high schools in Tabriz, selected through random cluster sampling. For the collection of data, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), Young’s Internet Addiction Test (YIAT20), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used. Then, the gathered data were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The analysis of data showed that self-blame and other-blame by the mediation of anxiety could explain Internet addiction symptoms. Self-blame and other-blame could explain Internet addiction symptoms directly. The indirect effect of self-blame on Internet addiction by the mediation of anxiety was positive and significant; however, the indirect effect of other-blame on Internet addiction by the mediation of anxiety was not significant. The goodness of fit indices showed that the measured model fits with the theoretical model. The findings have practical implications for clinical psychologists and can be useful in diagnosis and therapy of Internet addition disorder.