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Research on online learning effectiveness has experienced a shift towards focusing on learner characteristics or differences. However, little attention has been paid to learners' personality traits, especially those that highly match with the environmental characteristics of online learning. Guided by recent active learning approach and Model of student differences for learning in online education, this study adopts proactive personality (a dispositional tendency to be active, goal-oriented, and not constrained by environmental forces) as a key predictor and examines whether its relationship with online learning performance is mediated by learning engagement as a multidimensional construct. Using a multi-method approach (including self-reports, log file analysis, and content analysis), this study collected both subjective and objective measures of learning engagement from a total of n = 322 undergraduates. Results showed that proactive personality was positively associated with online learning performance. In addition, this association was mediated by all subjective and certain objective measures of learning engagement. Findings contribute to understanding the impact of proactive personality on online learning performance and the interplay of learners' individual factors and learning engagement factors in online learning environments. This study recommends promoting learning engagement to realize learners' online success, especially for those with low levels of proactive personality.

Cyberloafing exists extensively in online learning and impairs learning, yet little is known about how course-related factors affect it. The community of inquiry framework maintains that learning is affected by teaching presence, according to which, we assume that teaching presence impacts cyberloafing, which is mediated by social presence, cognitive presence, and lack of attention, and moderated by normative influence.This study examined the effect of teaching presence on cyberloafing and its underlying mechanisms - the mediating roles of social presence, cognitive presence and lack of attention, and the moderating roles of normative influence.Participants were 814 university students who were taking video-centric asynchronous online courses.Self-report instruments were adopted, and data were analysed using structural equation modelling.Teaching presence was negatively associated with cyberloafing. Social presence (positively), cognitive presence (negatively), and lack of attention (negatively) mediated the relation, respectively. Social presence, cognitive presence and lack of attention were also serial mediators of the association (i.e., teaching presence → social presence → cognitive presence → cyberloafing; teaching presence → cognitive presence → lack of attention → cyberloafing; teaching presence → social presence → cognitive presence → lack of attention → cyberloafing), and these sequential mediating effects were negative. Moreover, normative influence could aggravate the negative effect of cognitive presence on lack of attention, the positive effect of social presence on cyberloafing, and the positive effect of lack of attention on cyberloafing.Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for learning and teaching are discussed.

Background and aims Stress is a common experience among college students with problematic Internet use, and it may exacerbate their cue-induced Internet craving. This study aimed to examine the influence of stress on cue-induced craving for the Internet among subjects with problematic Internet use and the buffering effect of mindfulness. Methods Sixty-eight college students with problematic Internet use were assigned to groups with a 2 (stress vs. no-stress) × 2 (high vs. low mindfulness) between-subject design. Results It was deduced that stress could significantly enhance cue-induced craving for the Internet, and mindfulness could buffer this effect. Specifically, the effect of stress on cue-induced craving for the Internet was weaker among subjects with high mindfulness as compared to subjects with low mindfulness. Discussion and Conclusions These findings contribute to understanding of the factors influencing problematic Internet use and how such factors interact. It also provides recommendations on how to prevent the progression of problematic Internet use and suggests possible interventions.

The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak increases public mental stress and pandemic-related trauma. Timely and comprehensive online mental health services have been deployed across China. Hotline counselors can be exposed to the stress and trauma experienced by callers indirectly. They may experience secondary traumatic stress (STS) as a result of their empathetic engagement with traumatized clients, and they may also experience vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG). The present study examined negative and positive change in hotline counselors concurrently and explored the mechanisms of both positive and negative outcomes. Participants were 776 counselors (81% female, average age = 42.57 ± 7.90, average years of experience = 12.44 ± 5.92) recruited from MOE-CCNU Mental Health Service Platform, the biggest official telephone-based and online psychological support platform in China during COVID-19 period. Empathy and VPTG were measured by revised Chinese versions of self-report questionnaires. STS was assessed by the corresponding subscale of the Professional Quality of Life Scale. The Chinese Meaning in Life Questionnaire was used to assess participants’ search for life meaning. Mindfulness was evaluated by Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Latent variable structural equation modeling was applied. After controlling age, trauma cases and total cases, counselors’ empathy was positively associated with STS and VPTG. Results revealed that empathy was positively associated with STS and VPTG. Mindfulness mediated this association between empathy and STS. Search for meaning mediated the relationship between empathy and VPTG. Additionally, the association between empathy and VPTG was also mediated through other four significant mediating pathways: (a) secondary trauma stress, (b) secondary traumatic stress and search for meaning, (c) mindfulness and search for meaning, and (d) mindfulness and secondary trauma stress and search for meaning. Our findings support that empathy lead to both positive and negative outcomes among hotline counselors during COVID-19 period in China, highlighting dialectical insights into trauma workers’ experiences. When counselors engage in others’ traumatic experience, their vicarious negative emotional experience may be a pathway to growth, and search for life meaning is an important factor in that growth. © 2021, Science Press. All rights reserved.

Academic adaptation is an important aspect of children’s development, and it has been found to be closely associated with parent and peer related factors. In the current information era, the internet is also influencing children’s academic adaptation. Against this backdrop, we developed and tested a model in which active parental internet mediation (parents’ guidance and advice on children’s online behavior) was associated with children’s academic adaptation, further investigating the potential mediating role of video gaming and the moderating role of deviant peer affiliation. 683 Chinese elementary school students in Grades 4–6 were recruited to participate in this study. The children completed questionnaires at school during regular class time. The results indicated that: (a) after controlling for gender and age, active parental mediation was positively associated with academic adaptation; (b) video gaming was an mediating factor in the association between active parental mediation and academic adaptation; (c) the indirect effect of active parental mediation on academic adaptation through video gaming was moderated by deviant peer affiliation; specifically, for children with low deviant peer affiliation, the association between video gaming and academic adaptation was significant but insignificant for children with high deviant peer affiliation. Though, the relative small effect size of video gaming should be examined in the future studies to further clarify the associations and underlying mechanism between the main variables, the results have applied value for guiding children to use the internet responsibly and improving their academic adaptation.

Self-expansion is a common phenomenon in social life, and it may provide a new and integrated perspective to examine Internet use and its influences. In current information era, Internet has become an indispensable component of our daily lives, but there have been limited attempts to measure its influence from a self-expansion perspective. This study aims to develop and validate a scale measuring Internet self-expansion. Firstly, a semi-structured interview was conducted to generate the initial items. Exploratory factor analysis was then conducted on the initial 23 items using a sample of 565 participants. The results identified three dimensions: the acquisition of new experiences and perspectives; a sense of personal growth and new identities; and raising competence and resources. The three-factor model with 16-item, was then subjected to confirmatory factor analysis using a second sample of 686 participants. The results showed a good model fit. Finally, criterion validity and reliability were examined using a third sample of 351 participants. The results revealed that the score of Internet self-expansion was significantly correlated with that of Inclusion of Other in Self scale and Internet Use Intensity measure, indicating a good criteria validity. The scale of Internet self-expansion also demonstrated good internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Taken together, the findings suggest that the proposed scale is a reliable and valid measure which can be used to assess Internet self-expansion.

Highlights • Mobile phone addiction was significantly and positively associated with psychological distress. • Rumination mediated the association between mobile phone addiction and psychological distress. • The direct effect of mobile phone addiction on psychological distress could be moderated by the capacity to be alone. • The capacity to be alone could also act as a buffer in the indirect effect of mobile phone addiction on psychological distress via rumination. • Both the direct effect and indirect effect of mobile phone addiction on psychological distress were stronger for adolescents with lower level of capacity to be alone., Background With the increasing incidence of mobile phone addiction, mobile phone addiction has been considered to be related to adolescents’ psychological distress. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relation were still unclear. The present study tested the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of the capacity to be alone in the relation between mobile phone addiction and psychological distress. Methods 754 middle school students were recruited to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, rumination, the capacity to be alone, psychological distress and demographic variables. Results Mobile phone addiction was significantly and positively associated with psychological distress, and this link could be mediated by rumination. Moreover, the direct effect of mobile phone addiction on psychological distress and the indirect effect of rumination in this link were moderated by the capacity to be alone. Both these two effects were stronger for adolescents with lower capacity to be alone. Limitations The present study is limited in terms of its sample selection, cross-sectional design, and self-reported instruments. Conclusions The present study advances our understanding of how and when or for whom mobile phone addiction is related to serious psychological distress. Education professionals and parents should pay special attention to the psychological distress of adolescents suffering from mobile phone addiction, particularly for those with lower capacity to be alone.

According to life history theory, organisms face necessary trade-offs in allocating limited energy and resources between somatic effort and reproductive effort How an individual allocates resources to cope with survival and reproductive tasks reflects their life history strategies In unpredictable environments, individuals tend to invest more in reproductive efforts and prioritize immediate payoffs because the future is uncertain, and the delayed benefits may not be available later Food may be considered an immediate reward and overeating may more likely occur among people living in unpredictable environments Our research investigated how early life environmental unpredictability affects overeating and the underlying mechanism between the association Study 1 recruited 91 adolescent participants and utilized the Eating in the Absence of Hunger protocol (EAH) Participants were randomly assigned either to the “hunger” or “absence of hunger” groups Both groups completed a food portion choice task Participants were presented with photographs of 36 food types (18 high-calorie and 18 low-calorie), where participants chose their desired food portion on each picture from 0 (none) to 4 (four portions) Results indicated that the hunger state could moderate the effects of early life environmental unpredictability on overeating Specifically, (a)in hunger state, environmental unpredictability was not associated with selected high-calorie/unhealthy food portion, while participants living in high environmental unpredictability selected more high-calorie/unhealthy food portion than those living in low environmental unpredictability, i e , overeating;(b)in hunger state, participants living in high environmental unpredictability selected less low-calorie/healthy food portion than those living in low environmental unpredictability, while in the absence of hunger state, environmental unpredictability was not associated with selected low-calorie/healthy food portion Hence, our results, on the one hand, supported the initial hypothesis that early life environmental unpredictability could promote overeating in the absence of hunger state On the other hand, our findings demonstrated that individuals in the hunger state would be more impulsive, selecting less healthy food Study 2 examined differences in overeating between participants with high and low perceived death threat states The former group was comprised of 301 community residents from Wuhan City, the epicenter of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak The latter group was comprised of 179 community residents from the 42 other cities in China Participants completed questionnaires regarding early life environmental unpredictability, fast life history strategy (Mini-K), overeating, perceived death threat, and social support Results indicated that early life environmental unpredictability may affect overeating through the mediating role of fast life history strategies Moreover, perceived death threat and social support may moderate the path between fast life history strategies and overeating Evidently, participants with both high and low death threats, fast life history strategies were positively associated with overeating;however, the effect was smaller for the latter grouping For individuals with high social support, fast life history strategies were not associated with overeating;while for individuals with low social support, fast life history strategies were positively associated with overeating Findings indicated that environmental unpredictability in early life was positively associated with overeating through fast life history strategies Additionally, this effect intensifies when the current environment is life-threatening;while the effect would be buffered for individuals with high social support Findings provided evidence for the prevention and intervention of healthy eating promotion in the context of COVID-19 © 2020, Science Press All rights reserved

Based on the development trend of SNSs (social networking sites) and individuals’ specific experiences on SNSs, the current study aimed to investigate the association between information overload and the intention to reduce SNS usage, as well as the mediating roles of negative social comparison and SNS fatigue in this relationship. A sample of 986 undergraduate students who had an active WeChat Moments (the most popular SNS in China) account was recruited to participate in this research. The results indicated the followings: (1) There was a significantly positive association between each two variables among information overload, negative social comparison, SNS fatigue and the intention to reduce SNS usage. (2) After controlling for gender and age, information overload was positively associated with the intention to reduce SNS usage through the mediating roles of negative social comparison and SNS fatigue, and this association contained three mediating paths – the independent mediation effects of negative social comparison and SNS fatigue and the sequential mediation effect of negative social comparison and SNS fatigue. These results not only expand relevant research but also provide practical implications for the reasonable use and sustainable development of SNS.

Body image comparisons on social networking sites (SNS) have been found to be associated with disordered eating among western young women, however, the inner mechanism driving this association is largely unknown. Based on social comparison, sociocultural, and objectification theories, the present study aimed to investigate the association between body image comparisons on SNS and restrained eating, as well as the mediating role of body shame and the moderating roles of body appreciation and body mass index (BMI) among Chinese young adult women. A sample of 567 Chinese college women were recruited to complete a questionnaire assessing body image comparisons on SNS, body shame, body appreciation, restrained eating, and information about weight and height. Results showed that body image comparisons on SNS were positively associated with restrained eating and that body shame significantly mediated this association. Furthermore, body appreciation and BMI each moderated the association between body shame and restrained eating as well as the association between body image comparisons on SNS and restrained eating. These results not only have theoretical implications, but also provide guidance for prevention interventions targeting negative body image and disordered eating among college women.

This article reports a meta-analysis of the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU). After searching and screening the literature, a total of 36 studies involving 15,660 participants were included in the analysis. Using the random-effects model, the results indicated that neuroticism and extraversion were positively associated with PMPU. Conversely, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively associated with PMPU, while openness showed no association with PMPU. The result also showed that culture could moderate the relationship between openness and PMPU. Specifically, the negative relationship between openness and PMPU was not significant in collectivist culture but was significant in individualistic culture. In conclusion, high neuroticism, high extraversion, low agreeableness, and low conscientiousness are associated with PMPU. Moreover, the relationship between neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness and PMPU is relatively stable. Besides, cultural background moderates the relationship between openness and PMPU.

A growing body of research has documented the association between general social network sites use and loneliness, though results have not clarified whether social media increases or decreases loneliness. The relationships between specific social network sites use patterns and loneliness, as well as the mechanisms underlying this association, should be further examined. To address this issue, the current study investigated the mediating roles of social support and self-esteem between active social network sites use and loneliness. A sample of 390 undergraduate students (Mage = 19.39, SD = 0.95) anonymously completed the Active Social Network Sites Use Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Emotional and Social Loneliness Scale in their classrooms. Latent variables structural equation modeling analysis indicated that: (a) active social network sites use was negatively associated with loneliness; (b) social support and self-esteem could significantly mediate the relationship between active social network sites use and loneliness, which contained two mediating paths: the simple mediating effect of social support and the sequential mediating effects of social support and self-esteem. These results coincide with previous research and extend them by examining the effects of how individuals use social media. Our understanding of how social media use helps to reduce the feeling of loneliness, as well as the intervention programs that aim to reduce loneliness, may benefit from these findings.

Based on the background of current information era and the important role of body image in the health and well-being of female adolescents, this study aimed to investigate the moderating role of body image flexibility on the association between photo-related activities on SNS (social networking site) and body dissatisfaction among female adolescents in China. A total of 646 female adolescents were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires concerning the photo-related activities on WeChat Moments (the most widely used SNS in China), body image flexibility, and body dissatisfaction. The results showed that photo-related activities were positively associated with body dissatisfaction, and body image flexibility could significantly moderate this association, with a more significant effect for individuals with low levels of body image flexibility. This study not only contributes Chinese data and findings to this research theme, but also deepens our understanding by investigating the moderating mechanism; the results were also discussed in terms of limitations and implications.

Considering the popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) and the inconsistent results regarding the effect of SNS use on subjective well-being, this study intended to address the question “why SNS fails to predict subjective well-being” by investigating the suppressing role of social overload and moderating role of fear of missing out (FoMO). A sample of 1319 Chinese adolescents was recruited to complete measures on SNS use, social overload, FoMO and subjective well-being. Results showed that SNS use had a positively direct effect on subjective well-being, while the indirect effect via social overload in this association was significantly negative, suggesting that SNS use had a suppressing effect on well-being via social overload. FoMO moderated the suppressing effect of social overload; specifically, the indirect and direct effects were both more potent for adolescents with higher FoMO. Implications and limitations of this study are also discussed.

Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females’ video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this study aimed to examine the relationship between relational victimization and video game addiction among female college students, as well as its underlying mechanism—the mediating roles of social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters. Female college students (N = 437) were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires voluntarily in June 2022. Through the mediating effect analysis, the results found that (1) relational victimization was positively associated with female college students’ video game addiction; (2) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters could independently mediate this relation; (3) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters were also the serial mediators in this association. These findings not only expand previous studies by revealing the social motivation of video game usage and the underlying mechanism accounting for video game addiction, but also provide basis and guidance for the prevention and intervention of video game addiction in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Problematic smartphone use has become a prominent social problem, and factors shaping this behavior have been a research focus. Based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model, we examined the association between ostracism and problematic smartphone use, and individual differences in the relation (i.e., the mediating role of social self-efficacy and the moderating role of rejection sensitivity). A sample of 800 undergraduates were recruited to complete questionnaires. The SPSS PROCESS was used to test the moderated mediation model and the Johnson-Neyman method was used to analyze the moderating effect of rejection sensitivity. As predicted, ostracism was positively associated with problematic smartphone use. Social self-efficacy partially mediated this relation. Rejection sensitivity moderated the relation between ostracism and social self-efficacy—with the association being weaker for students with higher rejection sensitivity. The results have both theoretical and practical implications.

Cyber-victimization, tobacco and alcohol use are all prominent public health problems among adolescents throughout the world. Against this background, this study examined the association between cyber-victimization and tobacco and alcohol use, as well as the moderating role of deviant peer affiliation and the potential age differences among elementary, middle, and high school students. A survey conducted among 1488 school students (aged 9–19 years, consisting of 702 elementary school students, 318 middle school students, and 468 high school students) found that cyber-victimization was positively correlated with tobacco and alcohol use among students of all stages. However, the moderating mechanism was different. Among elementary school students, deviant peer affiliation played a positive moderating role. For individuals with high deviant peer affiliation, this association was stronger. Among middle school students, the moderating role of deviant peer affiliation was insignificant. Among high school students, deviant peer affiliation played a negative moderating role, this association was significant for individuals with low deviant peer affiliation. The results of this study clarify the relationship between cyber-victimization and tobacco and alcohol use by examining the moderating role of deviant peer affiliation and age differences, providing intervention guidance for reducing the negative influences of cyber-victimization on children and adolescents with respect their use of tobacco and alcohol.

The present study aimed to investigate the association between online parent-child communication and left-behind children’s adaptation as well as the underlying mechanisms – the mediating role of parent-child relationship and the moderating role of gratitude. A sample of 756 left-behind children (53.94% boys, Mage = 14.42) in central China was recruited to complete measures on online parent-child communication, parent-child relationship, gratitude, and subjective well-being. Results showed that online parent-child communication was positively associated with left-behind children’s subjective well-being, and parent-child relationship could mediate this relationship. Moreover, both the direct effect of online parent-child communication on left-behind children’ subjective well-being and the mediating effect of parent-child relationship were moderated by gratitude, they were stronger among individuals with higher gratitude. This study not only deepens our understanding on left-behind children’ development and adaptation in current information society, but also provides guidance for the intervention and improvement of their adaptation.

Appearance pressure from mass media and appearance social comparisons have been implicated in theory and research on disordered eating. However, mediating effects of upward and downward appearance comparisons on associations between appearance pressure and changes in disordered eating among women versus men have not been examined within longitudinal research designs. To address this gap, undergraduate students (1539 women and 882 men) from China completed self-report measures of appearance pressure from mass media; upward and downward appearance comparisons with more and less physically attractive peers, respectively; and disordered eating at baseline and/or a 12-month follow-up. Analyses indicated that, after controlling for gender differences on demographics and initial levels of disordered eating, baseline pressure from mass media contributed to the prediction of disordered eating at follow-up within each gender. Among women, in particular, follow-up upward appearance comparisons with peers mediated this association. For men but not for women, downward appearance comparisons with peers emerged as a significant mediator. Findings underscored differential relations of appearance comparisons with exacerbations in disordered eating among women versus men and suggested that associated interventions might be tailored on the basis of gender.

Considering the prevalence of social networking sites (SNSs) and restrained eating among young adult women, the present study aimed to investigate the association between selfie-posting on an SNS (WeChat Moments, the most widely used SNS in China) and self-objectification among Chinese young adult women as well as the mediating effects of commentary on appearance and self-objectification from the perspective of self-perception theory and objectification theory. A sample of 886 female undergraduate students who had an active WeChat Moments account were recruited voluntarily to complete questionnaires on selfie-posting on SNS, general SNS use, commentary on appearance on SNSs, self-objectification, and restrained eating. The results indicated that after controlling for general SNS use, age, and BMI, selfie-posting on a SNS was positively associated with restrained eating. Commentary on appearance and self-objectification mediated this association, which contained three mediating paths: the separate mediating effects of commentary on appearance and self-objectification and the serial mediating effect of commentary on appearance and self-objectification. These results indicate that selfie-posting and commentary on appearance on a SNS rather than general SNS use are risk factors accounting for restrained eating, which has theoretical and practical implications in terms of SNS use and restrained eating.

Although it is well established that response inhibition to angry expressions is impaired among reactively aggressive adolescents, the cognitive processes underlying this effect remain unclear. The main goal of our study was to investigate the time course of response inhibition to angry expressions in reactively aggressive adolescents compared to controls. In total, 23 reactively aggressive adolescents and 23 control adolescents were recruited to participate in an event-related potential (ERP) study measuring response inhibition to angry expressions with an emotional Go/No-go paradigm. The results showed that when presented angry or happy expressions, reactively aggressive adolescents showed a smaller No-go P3 effect than the control group. These results indicate that response inhibition to angry expressions in reactively aggressive adolescents is impaired at the later stage of the actual inhibitory control. The characteristics of response inhibition to happy expressions in reactively aggressive adolescents are similar to those in response to angry expressions.

The objective of this study was to examine the mechanisms (the mediating role of psychological security and the moderating role of growth mindset) underlying the association between cyberbullying victimization and depression among adolescents. A sample of 755 adolescents (Mage = 13.35 &plusmn, 1.02, 373 boys) was recruited from two junior high schools, and the participants were asked to voluntarily complete a set of measures, including the cyberbullying victimization subscale in the Chinese version of the Cyberbullying Inventory, the Chinese version of the Security Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Growth Mindset Inventory. The results indicated that: (1) cyberbullying victimization was positively associated with depression through the mediating effect of psychological security and (2) both the direct association between cyberbullying victimization and depression and the indirect association through the mediating effect of psychological security were moderated by growth mindset. Specifically, growth mindset could significantly alleviate the adverse effects of cyberbullying victimization on psychological security and on depression. These findings not only shed light on the mechanisms linking cyberbullying victimization to depression among adolescents, but also provide an empirical basis for formulating prevention and/or intervention programs aimed at reducing depression levels and the negative influences of cyberbullying victimization among adolescents.

Internet has been a popular medium and means to interconnect with others, with increasing opportunities for inclusion; at the same time, being ignored and excluded, a phenomenon referring to cyber-ostraism also increased. This study investigated the influence of cyber-ostracism on Chinese adolescents' depression, and the moderating role of optimism between them. First, a scale with 14-item was developed to measure the cyber-ostracism experience of adolescents. Then, a survey was conducted among 1626 Chinese adolescents aged 12–18, and the results showed that: (1) cyber-ostracism was positively correlated with depression, while optimism was negatively correlated with depression, (2) optimism could moderate the influence of cyber-ostracism on depression, with a stronger association for adolescents with low level of optimism. Results indicated that cyber-ostracism is a negative interpersonal experience as ostracism in real life, while optimism could alleviate the detrimental effect of cyber-ostracism.

The present study aimed to test the relation between adolescents’ online real-self presentation and depression, as well as the mediating role of social support and moderating role of dispositional optimism. A sample of 1742 Chinese adolescents (girl = 961, mean age = 14.35 ± 1.52 years) completed questionnaires of depression, online real-self presentation, social support, and dispositional optimism. Results of correlation and regression analyses showed that adolescents’ online real-self presentation could predict decreased depression via increasing social support. What’s more, the mediation effect was moderated by dispositional optimism, in which the mediation effect was stronger among adolescents with low dispositional optimism than those with high dispositional optimism. This study explained how and when online real-self presentation affected adolescents’ depressive symptoms, and provided a deeper understanding of the relation between online self-presentation and adolescents’ mental health. The implications and limitations were discussed.

Research has revealed that mobile phone addiction was a risk factor for poor sleep quality, however, little is known about the underlying mechanisms that may mediate or moderate this association. This study examined the mediating role of rumination and moderating role of mindfulness in the association between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality. A sample of 1196 Chinese adolescents was recruited to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, sleep quality, rumination and mindfulness. Results showed that rumination partially mediated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality. Besides, both the effect of mobile phone addiction on sleep quality and the mediating effect of rumination were moderated by mindfulness, and both of the two effects were stronger for individuals with lower mindfulness. The present study can advance our understanding of how and when mobile phone addiction leads to poor sleep quality. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed. Mobile phone addiction was significantly correlated with sleep quality in adolescents.Rumination partially mediated the relation between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality.Mindfulness moderated the relation between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality.Mindfulness moderated the mediating role of rumination in the relation between mobile phone addiction and sleep quality.

Studies have revealed that upward social comparison on social network sites (SNSs) was a risk factor for depressive symptoms, however, little is known about the underlying processes that may mediate or moderate this relationship. This study extended prior research by examining the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of optimism in this relationship. A sample of 1205 Chinese undergraduate students completed measures of upward social comparison on SNSs, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and optimism. Results showed that self-esteem partially mediated the relation between upward social comparison on SNSs and depressive symptoms. In addition, the direct effect of upward social comparison on SNSs on depressive symptoms and the mediating effect of self-esteem were both moderated by optimism. The two effects were more potent for individuals with low optimism than for those with high optimism. The present study contributes to a better understanding of how and when upward social comparison on SNSs increases the risk of depressive symptoms. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.

Background The effects of gender, negative life events, and coping on depression have been well-documented. But depression is a heterogeneous syndrome of which the severity ranged from mild depression to major depression. This study aimed to investigate the specific effects of gender, negative life events, and coping on different stages of depression severity. Method A total of 5989 students (aged 16–25 years, M=20.85, SD=0.58), recruited from six universities in the central region of China using the stratified cluster sampling method, completed Life Events Questionnaire, Coping Response Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ. Results Among the participants, 708 (11.8%) students presented different severity levels of depression. Gender, negative life events, positive coping, and negative coping all had significant effects on depression. That is, the possibility of being depressed was significantly higher in female university students, or students who had more negative life events, more negative coping, or positive coping. In terms of the different stages of depression severity, all these factors had significant effects on the stage from non- depression to mild depression; only gender, negative life events and positive coping had significant effects on the stage from mild depression to moderate depression; only gender had a significant effect on the stage from moderate depression to major depression. Limitations The causal role of these factors on different stages of depression severity could not be inferred. Moreover, the participants were from a non-clinical population. Conclusions The effects of gender, negative life events and coping varied in different stages of depression severity. The effects of life events and coping styles became insignificant with the increasing severity of depression, whereas the effect of gender remained significant. The results could provide guidance for the prevention, intervention, and treatment of depression.

An increasing number of studies have established an association between socioeconomic inequality and life satisfaction, but the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms of this association have not been fully identified. The present study investigated the effect of family socioeconomic status (SES) on life satisfaction in late childhood and adolescence; examined the mediating effect of optimism in the association between family SES and life satisfaction; and tested whether this mediating process varied across late childhood and adolescence. A sample of 552 Chinese children in late childhood (M age = 10.73 years, SD = 0.96) and 637 Chinese adolescents (M age = 14.71 years, SD = 1.60) was recruited to complete questionnaires regarding family SES, optimism, and life satisfaction. Results indicated that socioeconomic inequality was associated with life satisfaction in Chinese children and adolescents. Moreover, optimism partially mediated the relation between family SES and life satisfaction, and developmental period moderated this mediation effect. Specifically, the mediation effect was found in adolescence, but not in late childhood, indicating an adolescent-emergent model (Chen et al. in Psychol Bull 128(2):295–329, 2002; in Soc Sci Med 62(9):2161–2170, 2006). The meaning and implications of socioeconomic inequality in different development periods and applied considerations to improve life satisfaction in late childhood and adolescence are discussed.

Studies have revealed that bullying victimization was a risk factor for symptoms of depression, however, less is known about the underlying processes that may mediate or moderate this relationship. This study examined the mediating effect of resilience and moderating effect of mindfulness in the relation between bullying victimization and symptoms of depression. 448 Chinese children in grade 3 to grade 6 were recruited to complete the revised Bully/Victim Questionnaire, the Chinese version of Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, as well as the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure. Results showed that resilience partially mediated the relation between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms. Besides, both the effect of bullying victimization on depressive symptoms and the mediating effect of resilience were moderated by mindfulness, and both of the two effects were stronger for children with low mindfulness. The present study can contribute to a better understanding of how and when bullying victimization increases the risk of depression. It suggests that early intervention concerning diminishing negative effects of bullying victimization may start with increasing individual resilience and mindfulness.