Alexithymia and Internet Addiction in Children: Meaning in Life as Mediator and Reciprocal Filial Piety as Moderator

PURPOSE: To explore the psychological mechanism between alexithymia and Internet addiction, the present study constructed a moderated mediation model based on the problem behavior theory. METHODS: A total of 899 middle school students (M(age)=13.95, SD=1.10) were surveyed using the 20-item Toronto-alexithymia-scale, meaning in life questionnaire, dual filial piety scale, and Internet addiction disorder diagnostic scale. RESULTS: First, alexithymia was significantly negatively correlated with meaning in life and reciprocal filial piety, and positively correlated with Internet addiction; meaning in life was significantly positively correlated with reciprocal filial piety, and negatively correlated with Internet addiction; reciprocal filial piety was significantly positively correlated with authoritarian filial piety, and negatively correlated with Internet addiction. Second, alexithymia could not only directly predict Internet addiction, but also indirectly predict Internet addiction through meaning in life. Third, reciprocal filial piety played a moderating role between meaning in life and Internet addiction, while authoritarian filial piety did not. For middle school students with low reciprocal filial piety, meaning in life can negatively predict Internet addiction; for those with high reciprocal filial piety, there is no correlation between meaning in life and Internet addiction. CONCLUSION: This study reveals the internal mechanism of the relationship between alexithymia and Internet addiction in middle school students, emphasizes the role of positive psychology and family environment, and provides specific evidence and theoretical guidance for preventing Internet addiction in middle school students.