# The association between school bullying and internet addiction among adolescents: a moderated mediation model

## TL;DR

This study explores how school bullying is linked to internet addiction in adolescents, with depression, anxiety, and mental illness stigma playing key roles.

## Contribution

The study introduces a moderated mediation model to explain how mental health symptoms and stigma influence the bullying-internet addiction relationship.

## Key findings

- School bullying is positively linked to internet addiction through depressive and anxiety symptoms.
- Stigma of mental illness strengthens the relationship between bullying and internet addiction.
- Addressing mental health symptoms and stigma is crucial for preventing negative outcomes.

## Abstract

School bullying poses a serious threat to the mental well-being of adolescents. Although previous research has demonstrated a link between school bullying and internet addiction, the psychological mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the mediating roles of depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as the moderating role of the stigma of mental illness.

A cross-sectional survey among 82,873 middle and high school, college, and university students in Sichuan Province, China, was conducted for this study. Moderated mediation models were examined using PROCESS macros in SPSS 26.0.

The school bullying was positively correlated with internet addiction, with depression and anxiety symptoms partially mediating internet addiction, respectively. The stigma of mental illness significantly moderated this relationship, revealing a stronger association between school bullying, depression and anxiety symptoms, and internet addiction for adolescents with higher levels of stigma.

These findings emphasize the importance of addressing depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as stigma of mental illness in interventions to prevent school bullying and internet addiction. Programs tailored to these factors are crucial for alleviating the negative impacts of school bullying on the mental health and online behaviors of adolescents.