IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ariqol/v16y2021i6d10.1007_s11482-021-09912-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Emotional Competence as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Internet Addiction and Negative Emotion in Young Adolescents in Hong Kong

Author

Listed:
  • Lu Yu

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Xiaohua Zhou

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

Excessive use of the Internet in adolescents has been consistently found associated with multiple health concerns, especially negative emotions, and adversely affected one’s quality of life. While emotional competence is considered an important protective factor for youth development, its role in the relationship between Internet addiction and negative mental health outcomes has not been thoroughly investigated. The present study tested the mediation vs. moderation effects of emotional competence in the relation between Internet addiction and negative emotion in young adolescents based on 404 Hong Kong secondary school students (age = 12.4 ± 0.8 years). The results of structural equation modeling supported the mediation effect of emotional competence, but not its moderation effect. Internet addiction has both a direct influence on adolescents’ negative emotions, and an indirect effect through decreasing emotional competence. In particular, regulation of emotion appeared to be the only emotional competence dimension that mediates the relationship between Internet addiction and negative emotions. The findings suggest the importance of promoting emotional regulation competence to improve the quality of life of adolescents with Internet addiction problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu Yu & Xiaohua Zhou, 2021. "Emotional Competence as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Internet Addiction and Negative Emotion in Young Adolescents in Hong Kong," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2419-2438, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:16:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s11482-021-09912-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-021-09912-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11482-021-09912-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11482-021-09912-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhu, Xiaoqin & Shek, Daniel T.L., 2020. "Impact of a positive youth development program on junior high school students in mainland China: A pioneer study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    2. Rachel Sun & Daniel Shek, 2013. "Longitudinal Influences of Positive Youth Development and Life Satisfaction on Problem Behaviour among Adolescents in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 1171-1197, December.
    3. Hoi Yan Cheung & Timothy Teo & Ming-Tak Hue, 2017. "Modeling the relationships among emotional intelligence, sensation-seeking and risk-taking attitudes of university students in Hong Kong," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 569-589, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jianfen Wu & Hui Li, 2021. "Mindfulness for Sustainable Internet Use in Chinese Junior Secondary School Students: A Dual-Path Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-10, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hau-Lin Tam & Edward Asamoah & Angus Yuk-Fung Chan, 2021. "Developing Social Entrepreneurship as an Intervention to Enhance Disadvantaged Young People’s Sense of Self-Worth and Career Competence in Hong Kong," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2497-2526, December.
    2. Cecilia M. S. Ma & Catie C. W. Lai, 2021. "Contextual Influence of Risk and Protective Factors on Chinese Adolescent Psychological Well-Being, Delinquent Behavior and Academic Performance: the Role of Family and Friends," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2351-2369, December.
    3. Wenyu Chai & Xiang Li & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2022. "The Effectiveness of a Leadership Subject Using a Hybrid Teaching Mode during the Pandemic: Objective Outcome and Subjective Outcome Evaluation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Kunjie Cui & Han Xie, 2022. "Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Sources of Resilience: Mechanisms of the Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and Mental Health Among Migrant Children in China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2479-2497, October.
    5. Herman Hay-Ming Lo, 2021. "Quality of Life among Adolescents in Hong Kong: General and Gender-Specific Effects of Self-Efficacy and Mindfulness," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2311-2334, December.
    6. Alexis Zickafoose & Gary Wingenbach & Matt Baker & Edwin Price, 2023. "Developing Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship in Latin America and the Caribbean," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Aline Riboli Marasca & Maurício Scopel Hoffmann & Anelise Reis Gaya & Denise Ruschel Bandeira, 2021. "Subjective Well-Being and Psychopathology Symptoms: Mental Health Profiles and their Relations with Academic Achievement in Brazilian Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 1121-1137, June.
    8. Zi Jia Ng & Eugene Scott Huebner & Alberto Maydeu-Olivares & Kimberly Joy Hills, 2018. "Confirmatory Factor Analytic Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) in a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1237-1247, August.
    9. Daniel Shek & Xiang Li, 2016. "Perceived School Performance, Life Satisfaction, and Hopelessness: A 4-Year Longitudinal Study of Adolescents in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 921-934, March.
    10. Daniel Tan Lei Shek & Kim Hung Leung & Diya Dou & Xiaoqin Zhu, 2022. "Impact of Family Functioning on Adolescent Materialism and Egocentrism in Mainland China: Positive Youth Development Attributes as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-20, September.
    11. Yu Hu & Jingwen Hu & Yi Zhu, 2022. "The Impact of Perceived Discrimination on Mental Health Among Chinese Migrant and Left-Behind Children: A Meta-analysis," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2525-2541, October.
    12. Yanling Geng & Longtao He, 2022. "Gender Differences in Children’s Psychological Well-Being in Mainland China: Risk and Protective Factors," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2743-2763, October.
    13. Daniel T. L. Shek & Li Lin, 2017. "Trajectories of Personal Well-Being Attributes Among High School Students in Hong Kong," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(4), pages 841-866, December.
    14. Xiaoqin Zhu & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2020. "The Influence of Adolescent Problem Behaviors on Life Satisfaction: Parent–Child Subsystem Qualities as Mediators," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1767-1789, October.
    15. Daniel T. L. Shek, 2021. "COVID-19 and Quality of Life: Twelve Reflections," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, February.
    16. Li Lin & Song Wang & Jingguang Li, 2021. "Association Between The Search For Meaning In Life And Well-Being In Chinese Adolescents," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2291-2309, December.
    17. Robert F. Valois & Jelani C. Kerr & Michael P. Carey & Larry K. Brown & Daniel Romer & Ralph J. DiClemente & Peter A. Vanable, 2020. "Neighborhood Stress and Life Satisfaction: Is there a Relationship for African American Adolescents?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(1), pages 273-296, March.
    18. Daniel T. L. Shek & Li Lin, 2016. "What Predicts Adolescent Delinquent Behavior in Hong Kong? A Longitudinal Study of Personal and Family Factors," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 1291-1318, December.
    19. Yangu Pan & Qiongwen Zhang & Guangzeng Liu & Bingbing Li & Chuanxing Liu, 2022. "Parents’ Attachment Styles and Adolescents’ Regulatory Emotional Self-efficacy: The Mediating Role of Adolescents’ Attachment to Parents in China," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2637-2656, October.
    20. Annis Lai Chu Fung, 2021. "The Significance of Family Structure in Internalizing (Anxious/Depressed) and Externalizing (Aggressive/Delinquent) Problems among Chinese Adolescents," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(6), pages 2403-2418, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:16:y:2021:i:6:d:10.1007_s11482-021-09912-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.