The Role of Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms, and School Functioning in the Association Between Peer Victimization and Internet Addiction: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract Background Both peer victimization and internet addiction are common public health problems for children and adolescents. Several studies found an association between peer victimization and internet addiction, but the mechanism underlying this association remained unclear. This study aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying this association. Methods Data was extracted from an epidemiologic study involving middle and high school adolescents, in which 15,415 individuals (14.6 ± 1.7 years) were recruited. The moderated mediation models were examined using SPSS PROCESS macro 2.16 software, in which the mediation variables were depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms, and the moderation variable was school functioning. Results The total indirect effect of verbal victimization on internet addiction through depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms was found to be 0.4531, which accounted for 63.7% of the total effect of verbal victimization on internet addiction. Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms totally mediated the association between relational victimization and internet addiction and the association between the physical victimization and internet addiction. There were gender differences in the mediating effects of depressive and anxiety symptoms on the association between peer victimization and internet addiction. The indirect effect of the three different types of peer victimization (physical, verbal, relational) on internet addiction became stronger as school functioning increased. Limitations We included two mediators in one model, and the data used in this study was self-reported and cross-sectional. Conclusions Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms mediate the association between peer victimization and internet addiction. Students who score higher in school functioning were more likely to develop internet addiction when they encounter peer victimization.