Perceived school climate and problematic internet use among adolescents: Mediating roles of school belonging and depressive symptoms

A total of 2,758 adolescents with an average age of 13.53 years were surveyed to explore the connection between perceived school climate and problematic Internet use.

• Perceived school climate was negatively associated with problematic Internet use.
• Adolescents' sense of school belonging mediated the relationship between perceived school climate and problematic Internet use.
• Depressive symptoms also mediated the link between perceived school climate and problematic Internet use.
• A serial indirect pathway was identified, showing that perceived school climate affects school belonging, which in turn influences depressive symptoms and problematic Internet use.
• The findings were consistent across various demographic factors such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status.

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