Decisional procrastination and problematic mobile phone use: the mediation of anxiety and the moderation of 2019-nCoV traumatic experience (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background Decisional procrastination (DP) has an important effect on problematic mobile phone use (PMPU); however, the potential mechanisism and boundary conditions between DP and PMPU remianed to be further explored. This essay studied the mediation of anxiety between DP and PMPU and whether 2019-nCoV traumatic experience moderated the mediation process.Methods A questionnaire was used in this study. A valid sample of 798 college students reported levels of decisional procrastination, problematic mobile phone use, anxiety, and 2019-nCoV traumatic experience.Results The results indicated that decisional procrastination is positively associated with problematic mobile phone use among college students. Anxiety served as a partial mediator in the association between decisional procrastination and problematic mobile phone use. 2019-nCoV traumatic experience would positively moderated the mediating effects of anxiety between DP and PMPU. A higher degree of 2019-nCoV traumatic experience would strengthen the mediation effects of DP to PMPU through anxiety.Conclusions This study deepens our understanding of how DP affects college students' PMPU. It was found in the study that 2019-nCoV traumatic experience positively moderated the mediation effects of anxiety between DP and PMPU. These findings provide universities with a theoretical foundation for preventing PMPU among college students.