Maladaptive cognition and problematic Internet use among Nigerian adolescent students: Role of social anxiety

This study examined the role of social anxiety in the association between maladaptive cognition and problematic internet use among Nigerian adolescent students. Participants were 509 adolescents from schools in South-East Nigeria (n = 509; male = 46.56%, female = 53.44%; mean age = 15.86 years; SD = 2.57 years). The participants completed measures of social anxiety (Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents), problematic internet use (Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire), and maladaptive cognition (Maladaptive Interpersonal Belief Scale). Regression analyses showed a positive association between students' maladaptive cognition and problematic internet use, as well as between social anxiety and problematic internet use. Additionally, social anxiety mediated the relationship between maladaptive cognition and problematic internet use, increasing the risk of problematic internet use. These findings indicate a need for interventions to reduce the risk of problematic internet use through counselling students for healthy cognition and normative social anxiety.