Gratitude,Basic Psychological Needs,and Problematic Internet Use in Adolescence

Abstract

To examine the relationship between adolescents' gratitude and Problematic Internet Use(PIU),and whether competence need,relatedness need,and autonomy need as factors of basic psychological needs play a chain mediating effect between them,760 adolescents were tested with Adolescents' Gratitude Scale,Basic Psychological Needs Scale,and Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire.The results indicated that:(1)Adolescents' gratitude was significantly negatively associated with their PIU;(2)Three elements of basic psychological needs play a chain mediating effect between gratitude and adolescents' PIU,that is to say gratitude could directly promote adolescents' satisfaction of autonomy need,as well as through increase the satisfaction of competence need and relatedness need to indirectly enhance the satisfaction of autonomy need,ultimately reduced PIU.