Internet addiction modeling based on social support mediation alexithymia among the students

The aim of this study was to investigate the modeling of Internet addiction based on social support with mediation alexithymia in high school students. The method of the present study was descriptive and structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study consisted of all high school students in Sari in the academic year of 2014-2015. 361 students (178 girls and 183 boys) were randomly selected and completed the Zimt Social Support Scale, the Toronto Mediation Alexithymia Scale, and the Kimberly Young Internet Addiction Scale. The results of regression equations showed that social support has a direct effect on Internet addiction and indirectly mediation alexithymia. alexithymia have a positive and significant relationship with Internet addiction. Also, social support shows a negative and significant relationship with alexithymia (p <0.05). In total, the predictor variables predicted the 0.21 variance of Internet addiction. Therefore, in the field of Internet addiction in students, the variables of social support and alexithymia should be considered.