Mindfulness as a mediator and moderator between interpersonal alienation and smartphone addiction among Taiwanese university students

Smartphone addiction (SA) is prevalent among university students and is linked to psychosocial and academic risks. Interpersonal alienation (IA) may increase SA via compensatory coping, whereas mindfulness (MI) may serve as a protective self-regulation resource. This study examined the correlations among the Big Five traits, IA, MI, and SA. It tested MI as both a mediator and a moderator in the association between IA and SA. A cross-sectional web survey was conducted from May 10–24, 2022, using convenience sampling among Taiwanese university students. The final sample was N = 586 from 67 universities, 63.7% female. Measures included BFI-15, IAS, MAAS, and SAS-SV. Confirmatory factor analysis was run in AMOS 25. SPSS 24 supported descriptive statistics, gender comparisons, and Pearson’s r. Mediation was tested using Hayes PROCESS Model 4, and moderation using Model 1. IA was moderately and positively associated with SA, whereas MI was moderately and negatively associated with both IA and SA. Extraversion and conscientiousness were positively related to MI and negatively related to IA, whereas conscientiousness was also weakly negatively related to SA. Neuroticism was negatively related to MI and positively related to IA and SA; agreeableness showed only small associations, and openness was not significantly related to IA, MI, or SA. Males reported higher IA than females, whereas MI and SA showed no significant gender differences. MI partially mediated the IA–SA association and showed a context-dependent moderation, such that the protective advantage of higher MI diminished as IA increased. Results supported a compensatory use account in which interpersonal alienation was positively associated with smartphone addiction, whereas mindfulness was negatively associated with both. Mindfulness partially mediated this link and showed a context-dependent moderation, with its protective advantage diminishing as interpersonal alienation increased. Higher education may benefit from scalable mindfulness-based supports combined with efforts to reduce relational disconnection.