The Effect of Epidemic Stress Perception of COVID-19 on Problematic Internet Use Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Core Self-Evaluation

To explore the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction and core self-evaluation on the relationship between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among Chinese college students. A total of 597 college students were investigated by epidemic stress perception of COVID-19 questionnaire, basic psychological needs satisfaction scale, core self-evaluation scale and core self-evaluation scale. (1) The four variables of epidemic stress perception, basic psychological needs satisfaction, core self-evaluation and problematic internet use were significantly correlated with each other. (2) Basic psychological needs play a mediating role between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. (3) Core self-evaluation plays a mediating role between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. (4) There is a chain of multiple mediating effects between basic psychological needs satisfaction and core self-evaluation on the relationship between epidemic stress perception and problematic internet use among college students. The epidemic stress perception of college students can not only be a result of the epidemic but also of the problematic internet use among college students.