Self-expansion via smartphone and smartphone addiction tendency among adolescents: A moderated mediation model

Abstract Smartphone use has become increasing popular worldwide in recent years, contributing to smartphone addiction tendency. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between self-expansion via smartphone and smartphone addiction tendency, the mediating effect of need satisfaction perceived online, and the moderating effect of environmental sensitivity, respectively. A sample of 1338 adolescents from the Hubei Province of China (M = 16.09, SD = 0.96) were recruited to complete anonymous questionnaires. The results revealed that self-expansion via smartphone positively predicted adolescent smartphone addiction tendency directly and indirectly through the mediating role of need satisfaction perceived online. Moreover, environmental sensitivity moderated the mediating effect of need satisfaction perceived online as a second-stage moderator, and the mediating effect was stronger for adolescents with higher environmental sensitivity. The present study suggests that reducing the level of need satisfaction perceived online and teaching adolescents how to seek social support and develop coping skills may be important in the prevention and intervention of smartphone addiction.