The influence of organizational caring on mobile phone addiction in undergraduate nursing students: The chain mediating role of perceived stress and self-control

Background: The incidence of mobile phone addiction (MPA) is increasing in undergraduates and may lead to depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Undergraduate nursing students are important group for clinical services; therefore poor mental health has an important implications for the quality of future nursing work and the relationship between nurses and patients. Objectives: To explore the connection between organizational caring and MPA in Chinese undergraduate nursing students and to investigate the mechanisms of perceived stress and self-control in this relationship by constructing a chain mediation model. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 900 participants (age range 18-25 years, M = 20.99, SD = 1.58, 94.0 % female) were recruited from 10 universities in China. Data were collected using an online survey between February and March 2023. Organizational caring, subjective stress, self-control ability, and MPA among undergraduate nursing students were assessed. Results: (1) The prevalence of MPA was 34.9 % (314/900). (2) MPA in undergraduate nursing students was negatively correlated with self-control (r = -0.468, p < 0.001) and organizational caring (r = -0.156, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with perceived stress (r = 0.362, p < 0.001). (3) Perceived stress and self-control mediated the relationship between organizational caring and MPA, and the relative mediating effect values were 16.6 % and 17.2 %, respectively. (4) Organizational caring had an indirect effect on MPA through the chain mediation effect of perceived stress and self-control, and the relative mediating effect value was 19.1 %. Conclusion: Organizational caring, perceived stress and self-control directly influenced MPA among undergraduate nursing students. Additionally, organizational caring indirectly affected MPA through perceived stress and self-control. To further mitigate MPA among students, nursing managers and educators should enhance organizational caring, reduce perceived stress, and improve self-control abilities.