Stepping back to cope: a moderated mediation model of digital disconnection and online social anxiety

Abstract

Introduction: Digital disconnection has been proposed as a strategy for mitigating digital strain; however, its psychological correlates and boundary conditions remain insufficiently understood.

Methods: Drawing on survey data from 613 Chinese young adults, this study examines how digital disconnection is associated with online social anxiety using a moderated chain mediation model. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships.

Results: Digital disconnection was associated with lower levels of online social anxiety. This association was linked to a sequential pathway whereby lower problematic social media use was associated with lower perceived social media overload, which in turn was associated with lower online social anxiety. Connectedness to nature differentially shaped these processes. At the behavioral level, higher connectedness to nature strengthened the negative association between digital disconnection and problematic social media use. At the cognitive level, however, a paradoxical pattern emerged, whereby stronger connectedness to nature was associated with higher perceived social media overload in the context of digital disconnection.

Discussion: By disentangling the behavioral and cognitive processes associated with digital disconnection, this study extends current understanding of digital well-being beyond simple use–outcome associations. The findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in psychological resources when designing interventions to promote healthier digital media engagement.