The Effect of Loneliness on Student Adaptation to College: Serial Mediation of Self-Control and YouTube Over-dependence

Objectives The purposes of this study were to determine the influence of loneliness on college students' adaptation to examine the serial mediating effects of self-regulation and YouTube over-dependence. Methods A survey was conducted on 498 college students in grades 1 to 4 nationwide using the Korean version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Self-Control Scale, YouTube Over-Dependence Scale, and Student Adaptation to College Scale. Reliability, descriptive statistics, and Pearson correlation analysis were performed on 468 data after excluding non-responding data using SPSS 21.0, and a serial mediating effect was calculated using SPSS Process Macro Model 6. Results First, loneliness and adaptation to college, self-control, and YouTube dependence were all significantly related. Second, in the relationship between loneliness and college adaptation, self-control and YouTube over-dependence had individual mediating effect, respectively, and the serial mediating effect of loneliness affecting college adaptation through self-control and YouTube over-dependence was also found to be significant. Even after adding mediators, the direct effects of loneliness and college adaptation were significant, confirming the existence of a partial mediating effect. Conclusions It was concluded that when college students feel lonely;they perceive that they are not in control of their difficulties or their surroundings;which leads to their overdependent use of YouTube as a way to avoid this;and eventually have difficulty adapting to college life. Therefore;this study proposed an intervention that can increase their self-control and support programs for intimate interpersonal relationships and bonds for college students to live happily and adaptively in college. Additionally;the education and programs should be developed and provided for them to control use of YouTube according to their own needs.