Perceived Social Support And Internet Addiction Among College Students In Lesotho:The Mediating Role Of Anxiety And Moderating Role Of Self-esteem

Students are the building block of society and their grooming and development is the primary responsibility of all major stakeholders.In order to help in same development,technology has played a very important role as its introduction has made things very easier especially internet technology has facilitated students a lot in their academic and infotainment needs.Unfortunately,usage of internet has gone out of the hands now due to its excessive usage by students as they are getting distanced from their education in this span of addiction.Such internet addiction is posing many disastrous challenges for students in their personal and professional lives.This all has happened due to lack of social support.In presence of perceived social support,students were well engaged in real time social activities and the same has kept them away from any sort of technological addiction.However,its absence may increase the anxiety in students which ultimately can indulge a person in such addiction.But in its presence,self-esteem can be enhanced of an individual which can keep him away from any sort of technological addiction.This study has aimed to analyze the impact of perceived social support on internet addiction in mediating role of anxiety and moderating role of self-esteem.Moreover,this study has also checked the difference of internet addiction in male and female persons too.The sample was consisted of 300 male and 300 female students of National University of Lesotho and a questionnaire based survey has been done in order to get responses from them.The results have indicated that perceived social support can significantly decrease internet addiction and anxiety and self-esteem play significant mediating and moderating roles respectively.