{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T06:24:21Z","timestamp":1787293461853,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787270400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Involution, or \u201cNeijuan\u201d in Chinese, has recently been operationalized as escalating and often irrational competition characterized by increased effort with diminishing returns. Although involution has become increasingly salient in Chinese higher education, little is known about its association with problematic smartphone use (PSU) among college students. Grounded in the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examined whether anxiety mediated the association between involution perception and PSU, and whether psychological resilience moderated this indirect association. Given that resilience is typically viewed as a protective factor but may also facilitate sustained, instrumental engagement under pressure, this study explored its potential pathway-specific moderating roles.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,002 undergraduate students from a university in Guangzhou, China (573 female, 429 male; mean age\u202f=\u202f20.10\u202fyears, SD\u202f=\u202f1.35). Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing involution perception (encompassing psychological pressure, social norms, competitive behaviors, and resource scarcity), PSU, anxiety, and psychological resilience. A moderated mediation model (PROCESS Model 8) was tested with 5,000 bootstrap samples, controlling for age and gender.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Involution perception was positively associated with PSU and anxiety, while psychological resilience was negatively associated with all three variables. Anxiety significantly mediated the association between involution perception and PSU. Psychological resilience moderated both pathways, but in opposite directions. As hypothesized, the positive association between involution perception and anxiety was weaker at higher levels of resilience. However, the direct association between involution perception and PSU was significantly stronger at higher levels of resilience.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The findings reveal a pathway-specific role of psychological resilience in the context of involution. While resilience buffers the emotional toll of competitive pressure by reducing anxiety, it simultaneously amplifies the direct behavioral reliance on smartphones, potentially reflecting sustained, high-intensity engagement in a demanding environment. This pathway-specific effect suggests that resilience is not a uniformly protective factor. The results underscore the utility of targeting anxiety to mitigate PSU and highlight the need for nuanced interventions that distinguish between reducing emotional distress and managing device-dependent coping patterns in competitive educational settings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914988","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T05:37:17Z","timestamp":1787290637000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Involution perception and problematic smartphone use among Chinese college students: the indirect role of anxiety and the pathway-specific moderating role of psychological resilience"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Chong","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychological Counseling Center, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics","place":["Guangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jingyi","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Psychology Teaching and Research Office, Guangzhou Vocational College of Technology and Business","place":["Guangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1137","DOI":"10.1080\/13548506.2024.2447008","article-title":"Does smartphone addiction impact happiness? Exploring the mediating roles of belongingness and fear of missing out: a cross-sectional survey from Turkey","volume":"30","author":"Akinci","year":"2025","journal-title":"Psychol. Health Med."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"156","DOI":"10.1007\/s40429-015-0054-y","article-title":"Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research","volume":"2","author":"Billieux","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr. Addict. Rep."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2019.06.032","article-title":"The interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution (I-PACE) model for addictive behaviors: update, generalization to addictive behaviors beyond internet-use disorders, and specification of the process character of addictive behaviors","volume":"104","author":"Brand","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033","article-title":"Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific internet-use disorders: an interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution (I-PACE) model","volume":"71","author":"Brand","year":"2016","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1017\/iop.2015.107","article-title":"How much do we really know about employee resilience?","volume":"9","author":"Britt","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ind. Organ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1019","DOI":"10.1002\/jts.20271","article-title":"Psychometric analysis and refinement of the Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC): validation of a 10-item measure of resilience","volume":"20","author":"Campbell-Sills","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Trauma. Stress."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1556\/2006.2020.00103","article-title":"A test of the pathway model of problematic smartphone use","volume":"10","author":"Canale","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Behav. Addict."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1202","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapediatrics.2016.2341","article-title":"Association between portable screen-based media device access or use and sleep outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"170","author":"Carter","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Pediatr."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.13718\/j.cnki.xsxb.2021.11.006","article-title":"Psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender of brief version of Connor-Davidson resilience scale in Chinese college students","volume":"46","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Southwest China Normal Univ"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1089\/cyber.2011.0324","article-title":"\u201cThey are happier and having better lives than I am\u201d: the impact of using Facebook on perceptions of others\u2019 lives","volume":"15","author":"Chou","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cyberpsychol. Behav. Soc. Netw."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1002\/da.10113","article-title":"Development of a new resilience scale: the Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC)","volume":"18","author":"Connor","year":"2003","journal-title":"Depress. Anxiety"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.14744\/DAJPNS.2019.00001","article-title":"Problematic smartphone use and mental health problems: current state of research and future directions","volume":"32","author":"Elhai","year":"2019","journal-title":"D\u00fc\u015f\u00fcnen Adam"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.1590\/1516-4446-2020-0870","article-title":"Fear of missing out (FOMO): overview, theoretical underpinnings, and literature review on relations with severity of negative affectivity and problematic technology use","volume":"43","author":"Elhai","year":"2021","journal-title":"Braz J Psychiatr"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-023-04541-1","article-title":"Resilience and problematic smartphone use: a moderated mediation model","volume":"23","author":"Hao","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional process Analysis: a Regression-based Approach","author":"Hayes","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.44.3.513","article-title":"Conservation of resources: a new attempt at conceptualizing stress","volume":"44","author":"Hobfoll","year":"1989","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10705519909540118","article-title":"Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives","volume":"6","author":"Hu","year":"1999","journal-title":"Struct. Equ. Model."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tics.2020.10.005","article-title":"Social media and well-being: pitfalls, progress, and next steps","volume":"25","author":"Kross","year":"2021","journal-title":"Trends Cogn. Sci."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e83558","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0083558","article-title":"The smartphone addiction scale: development and validation of a short version for adolescents","volume":"8","author":"Kwon","year":"2013","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"870","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-18347-7","article-title":"Influence of academic involution atmosphere on college students' stress response: the chain mediating effect of relative deprivation and academic involution","volume":"24","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Healt"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"951931","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.951931","article-title":"Have you \u201cinvolution\u201d today\u2014competition psychology scale for college students","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"336","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.13190","article-title":"Annual research review: adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions","volume":"61","author":"Odgers","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2015.12.045","article-title":"Relationships among smartphone addiction, stress, academic performance, and satisfaction with life","volume":"57","author":"Samaha","year":"2016","journal-title":"Comput. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-019-2350-x","article-title":"Prevalence of problematic smartphone usage and associated mental health outcomes amongst children and young people: a systematic review, meta-analysis and GRADE of the evidence","volume":"19","author":"Sohn","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25338","DOI":"10.3402\/ejpt.v5.25338","article-title":"Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives","volume":"5","author":"Southwick","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychotraumatol."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1092","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.166.10.1092","article-title":"A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7","volume":"166","author":"Spitzer","year":"2006","journal-title":"Arch. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2014.10.053","article-title":"Facebook use, envy, and depression among college students: is Facebooking depressing?","volume":"43","author":"Tandoc","year":"2015","journal-title":"Comput. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.1037\/ppm0000047","article-title":"Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem","volume":"3","author":"Vogel","year":"2014","journal-title":"Psychol. Pop. Media Cult."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1768092","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1768092","article-title":"The relationship between academic burnout and problematic smartphone use: a three-level meta-analysis","volume":"17","author":"Wang","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"659288","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2021.659288","article-title":"Stress and problematic smartphone use severity: smartphone use frequency and fear of missing out as mediators","volume":"12","author":"Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Psych."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.3724\/SP.J.1041.2024.00107","article-title":"\u201cNeijuan\u201d in China: the psychological concept and its characteristic dimensions","volume":"56","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Acta Psychol. Sin."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914988\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T05:37:19Z","timestamp":1787290639000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914988\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"references-count":31,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914988"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914988","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"article-number":"1914988"}}