The Mediational Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Risk of Internet Addiction
Authors
Rocco Servidio
Department of Languages and Education Sciences, Università della Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Ambra Gentile
Department of Psychological, Educational and Training Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Stefano Boca
Department of Psychological, Educational and Training Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Abstract
The aim of the present study is to explore, through a mediation model, the relationship among self-esteem, coping strategies, and the risk of Internet addiction in a sample of 300 Italian university students. We submitted the data to a descriptive, mediational comparison between variables (t-test), and correlational statistical analyses. The results confirmed the effect of self-esteem on the risk of Internet addiction. However, we found that the introduction of coping strategies as a mediator gives rise to partial mediation. A low level of self-esteem is a predictor of avoidance-oriented coping that, in turn, affects the risk of Internet addiction.
