Loneliness and rumination serially mediate the relationship between social anxiety and internet addiction among Turkish university students

The widespread use of the internet brings with it both advantages and disadvantages. The current research sought to investigate the serial mediating role of loneliness and rumination in the link between social anxiety and internet addiction. This study consisted of 1,717 Turkish university students. The participants' mean age was 21.70 (SD = 1.90). The findings indicated that social anxiety was positively related to internet addiction. Loneliness served as a mediator in the link between social anxiety and internet addiction. Rumination mediated the effect of social anxiety on internet addiction. The results also supported the serial mediation model, specifically revealing that individuals with social anxiety may have high levels of loneliness, which may be associated with high levels of rumination, and this was related to high levels of internet addiction. The results of this study indicate the need for psychoeducational programs for university students to raise awareness about the negative consequences of social anxiety, loneliness, rumination, and excessive internet use.