The longitudinal relationship between loneliness and both social anxiety and mobile phone addiction among rural left‐behind children

A cross‐lagged panel analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID21444451
AuthorsDehua Wu (0000-0003-0560-0016, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan China), Menghua Liu (0000-0003-3162-5727, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan China), M N Poni Liu (0000-0002-4715-8708, Hunan Normal University), Dan Li (0009-0009-7330-3225, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan China), Huazhan Yin (0000-0002-9806-2933, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan China, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume96
Issue5
Pages969-982
Publication date2024-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-1971 • E-ISSN: 1095-9254
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jad.12309
PMID38375869
OpenAlexW4391957161
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited103

INTRODUCTION: Left-behind children are a special group that needs urgent attention. Due to enduring separation from their parents, loneliness is considered the most common and prevalent developmental hurdle in the experiences of left-behind children. This longitudinal cross-lagged study examined the direction of the association between loneliness and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, with considering gender and left-behind status differences. METHODS: = 14.54 ± 1.18 at baseline) completed self-reported loneliness, social anxiety, and mobile phone addiction at two-time points with 6 months intervals. Descriptive statistics, cross-lagged panel analysis, and multiple group analysis were estimated in the present study. RESULTS: Loneliness exacerbated social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa. In addition, gender and left-behind status moderated these relationships, with boys more likely to be mobile phone addicted due to loneliness and girls more likely to be lonely due to mobile phone addiction. More importantly, left-behind children with loneliness are more prone to social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa, compared with non-left-behind children. CONCLUSIONS: The targeted interventions should be carried out for different genders and left-behind statuses. Particularly for left-behind children, neglecting to address both the symptoms of loneliness and both social anxiety and mobile phone addiction could significantly undermine the efficacy of intervention programs that solely target either one of these afflictions.

Addiction · Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Loneliness · Longitudinal study · Mobile phone · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Child Development and Digital Technology · Clinical Psychology · Health disparities and outcomes · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Medicine · Psychology

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