Psychological maltreatment, forgiveness, mindfulness, and internet addiction among young adults: A study of mediation effect

Internet use enhances life quality and wellbeing for many people; however, excessive use can result in many undesirable outcomes for healthy development and mental health. The purpose of the study is to investigate the mediating effect of forgiveness and mindfulness on the association between psychological maltreatment and internet addiction among young adults. Participants were 392 (57.7% female and 42.3% male) young adults ranging in age from 20 to 29 years (M = 22.01, SD = 2.14). Findings from preliminary analyses indicated that the at-risk group for internet addiction had higher levels of psychological maltreatment but lower levels of forgiveness and mindfulness than the typical group for internet addiction. Thereafter, structural equation model was conducted to test the effects of mediator variables on internet addiction, and the outcomes demonstrated the full mediating role of forgiveness and mindfulness regarding the effect of psychological maltreatment on internet addiction. In conclusion, the study outcomes provide significant implications for mental health services to reduce the effects of psychological maltreatment on internet addictions in young adults.