Digital Stress as a Contemporary Risk: Mediating Effects of Online Self-Disclosure and Perceived Friendship Quality on Adolescents' Mental Well-Being

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of digital stress on mental well-being among Chinese adolescents, focusing on the mediating roles of online self-disclosure and perceived friendship quality, and the moderating effect of urban–rural differences. Using a sample of 1028 middle and high school students from Sichuan Province, China, structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to analyse data collected via validated scales measuring digital stress, online self-disclosure, perceived friendship quality and mental well-being. Results revealed that digital stress was directly and negatively associated with adolescents' mental well-being (β = −0.235, p < 0.001). Online self-disclosure and perceived friendship quality partially mediated this relationship, suggesting that digital stress both motivates self-disclosure as a coping mechanism and deteriorates perceived friendship quality, thereby influencing mental health outcomes. Furthermore, urban–rural differences moderated the association between perceived friendship quality and mental well-being, with urban adolescents exhibiting a stronger positive effect (β = 0.466, p < 0.05) compared with rural peers (β = 0.374, p < 0.001). These findings underscore the dual-pathway mechanisms linking digital stress to mental well-being and highlight the need for context-specific interventions, particularly in rural areas. The study advances theoretical frameworks such as the general strain theory and support deterioration model in the digital context, offering actionable insights for policymakers and educators to mitigate the adverse effects of digital stress on adolescent mental health.