Symbolization of mobile phone and life satisfaction among adolescents in rural areas of China: Mediating of school-related relationships

Mobile phone is popular among residents in rural areas of China, especially among the adolescents. The aim of the present research was to investigate how the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol affected life satisfaction of adolescents living in rural areas of China. Teacher-student relationship and student-student relationship as important interpersonal relationship indicators of adolescents were included as mediator variables. Participants were 656 adolescents (316 girls, Mage = 14.43 ± 1.67 years), and they were surveyed on the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol, teacher-student relationship, student-student relationship, and life satisfaction in the present research. Results showed that the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol reduced life satisfaction. What's more, attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol could reduce life satisfaction via teacher-student relationship, as well as via teacher-student relationship and student-student relationship in sequence. We concluded that the attitude towards mobile phone as a social status symbol is a new risk factor of adolescents' development.