The relationship of Social Exclusion and Problematic Internet Use: Mediating Role of Ego Depletion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i5.591Keywords:
social exclusion, problematic Internet use, ego depletion, university students, psychological stressAbstract
Social exclusion represents a significant psychological stressor that may lead to maladaptive coping behaviors among university students. This study investigated the relationship between social exclusion and problematic Internet use, with ego depletion as a potential mediating mechanism. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to examine 479 university students aged 18-25 years. Participants completed validated measures of social exclusion, ego depletion, and problematic Internet use. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed mediation model. Results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between social exclusion and problematic Internet use (β = 0.467, p < 0.001). Ego depletion significantly mediated this relationship, with an indirect effect of 0.255 (95% CI [0.201, 0.312]), accounting for 54.6% of the total effect. The mediation model showed good fit indices (CFI = 0.952, RMSEA = 0.053). Findings indicate that social exclusion increases the risk of problematic Internet use through the depletion of self-regulatory resources. Although the cross-sectional design limits causal inference, results provide theoretical support for interventions targeting self-regulation capacity and social integration.
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