Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Feb 2023)
The Effect of Future Time Perspective on Internet Dependence Among College Students in Pandemic Time: A Moderated Mediation Analysis
Abstract
Yongli Liu,1 Jing Liu,2 Wei Wang3 1Department of Education, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Journalism, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Psychology, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wei Wang, Professor of Department of Psychology, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the probability of Internet dependence. This study sought to examine the relation between future time perspective and college students’ Internet dependence, as well as the mediating role of boredom proneness and the moderating effect of self-control in the link between boredom proneness and Internet dependence.Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was carried out among college students from two universities in China. A sample of 448 participants varying from freshmen to seniors completed questionnaires on future time perspective, Internet dependence, boredom proneness and self-control.Results: Results indicated that college students with high future time perspective were less likely to fall into Internet dependence and boredom proneness mediated this relationship. The relation between boredom proneness and Internet dependence was moderated by self-control. Boredom proneness had a greater impact on Internet dependence for students with low self-control.Conclusion: Future time perspective could influence Internet dependence through the mediating role of boredom proneness, which is moderated by self-control. The results advanced our understanding of how future time perspective affected college students’ Internet dependence, revealing that intervention strategies which could improve students’ self-control would be instrumental in reducing Internet dependence.Keywords: future time perspective, Internet dependence, boredom proneness, self-control
