Loneliness, smartphone addiction, and social anxiety in college students: Direct and indirect associations among developmental trajectories

Abstract

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a prevalent issue among young adults. This longitudinal study examined the relationship between loneliness and subsequent social anxiety, as well as the mediating role of smartphone addiction, among college students, while also exploring gender differences in this process. A total of 3766 college students were followed over two years, with data collected at four intervals. Using latent growth curve mediation modeling, the study found that both initial levels and changes in loneliness were positively associated with initial levels and changes in social anxiety. Smartphone addiction mediated this relationship (indirect effect for intercept = 0.12, p < 0.001; indirect effect for slope = 0.26, p < 0.001), particularly among male students. For female students, however, the mediating effect of smartphone addiction was significant only at the initial level (i.e., the intercept) and not over time (i.e., the slope). These findings underscore the importance of addressing smartphone addiction stemming from loneliness as a preventive strategy against social anxiety. Additionally, gender-specific considerations should be integrated into the design of intervention programs.