The Relationship between Cellular Phone Addiction and Impulsiveness, Depression, and Self-esteem of Multicultural Adolescents

Objectives: The purpose of the current research is to explore the mediating effect of self-esteem on impulsiveness, depression and cellular phone addiction. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The subjects of the present study are a group of 130 multicultural adolescents living in Seoul, Gyeonggido and Choongcheongdo Provinces. Data were mainly collected from Rainbow Youth Institutes of Multicultural Family Support Center. The data were analyzed with frequency, Pearson’s correlation and structural equation modeling by SPSS and AMOS. Findings: 1. Impulsiveness and depression were negatively correlated with self-esteem and positively correlated with cellular phone addiction, 2. Self-esteem was negatively correlated with cellular phone addiction, 3. Self-esteem exerted a mediating effect on impulsiveness, depression and cellular phone addiction. 4. Impulsiveness and depression influenced self-esteem negatively but cellular phone addiction positively. Impulsiveness exerted a powerful impact on cellular phone addiction. Depression had a significant influence, direct and indirect, on cellular phone addiction. 5. Self-esteem negatively influenced cellular phone addiction. Self-esteem was found having a mediating effect on the impact of impulsiveness and depression on cellular phone addiction, which means that it can help reduce impulsiveness and depression of the subjects. Applications/Improvements: In conclusion, it is important to mediate multicultural adolescents’ cellular phone addiction through specialized education programs and counseling in order to build up their self-esteem.