The Effect of Middle School Students‘ Smartphone Dependency on Social Withdrawal : The Sequential Mediating Effect of Attention Problem and Negative Peer Relationship

This study examines the longitudinal effects of smartphone dependency on social withdrawal among middle school students, as well as the sequential mediating roles of attention problems and negative peer relationships. Using data from the first (2018) and second (2019) waves of the KCYPS 2018, the sample consisted of 2,395 middle school students. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro Model 6. The results indicated that smartphone dependency in the first year of middle school significantly predicted social withdrawal in the second year. Second, attention problems and negative peer relationships each significantly mediated the relationship between smartphone dependency and social withdrawal. Third, a sequential mediating effect was found, such that smartphone dependency increased attention problems, which subsequently led to negative peer relationships and, in turn, heightened social withdrawal. These results suggest that smartphone dependency serves as an antecedent that exacerbates social withdrawal over time through attentional and social pathways. This study is significant as it identifies a multifaceted developmental mechanism for preventing social withdrawal, highlighting the importance of integrated interventions that address attentional difficulties and the quality of peer relationships.