Childhood neglect and problematic smartphone use among Chinese young adults: the mediating roles of peer attachment and fear of missing out

Background: Research has revealed that childhood neglect may be a risk factor for problematic smartphone use among young adults in China. However, few studies have examined the mediating roles of peer attachment and the fear of missing out in the relationship between childhood neglect and problematic smartphone use. To fill this gap, the present study proposes a multiple mediation model to understand the relationships among childhood neglect, peer attachment, fear of missing out, and problematic smartphone use among young adults. Methods: : A total of 869 young adults in China completed questionnaires for evaluating different levels of the relationships between childhood neglect, peer attachment, the fear of missing out, and problematic smartphone use. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and MPLUS8.3. Results: : The results showed that childhood neglect was positively associated with problematic smartphone use among young adults in China. Moreover, peer attachment and the fear of missing out had partial mediating effects as well as sequential mediating effects in the relationship between childhood neglect and problematic smartphone use among young adults. Conclusion: Based on these findings, peer attachment and the fear of missing out, as mediators, could be considered proximal factors affecting problematic smartphone use among young adults. These findings broaden our understanding of the psychological processes that underlie the association between childhood neglect and problematic smartphone use and afford practical guidance on reducing the risks associated with problematic smartphone use.