Loneliness, problematic internet use and the mental health of college students: The mediating role of family resilience and moderating role of resilient coping

Erna Multahada (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Jakarta, Jakarta Professional Psychology Education Program, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta)
Nunung Khoiriyah (2Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Tangerang)
Prahastia Kurnia Putri (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Jakarta, Jakarta)
Fatma Nuraqmarina (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Jakarta, Jakarta)
Dina Syakina (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Jakarta, Jakarta)
Ferdy Muzzamil (Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Bhayangkara Jakarta Raya, Jakarta)
Arooj Arshad (Riphah Institute of Clinical & Professional Psychology, Riphah International University, Lahore)

Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026)

Mental health crises among college students are on the rise, characterized by high levels of depression, anxiety and stress. This study aims to examine the influence of loneliness and problematic internet use (PIU) on students' mental health by understanding the role of family resilience as a mediator and resilient coping as a moderator. The research participants consisted of 666 students in Jakarta, Indonesia, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected through use of the Loneliness Scale, Problematic Internet Use Scale, Family Resilience Scale, Resilient Coping Scale and Mental Health Scale. The analysis was based on the moderation regression model, using the Hayes test to assess the correlation between the variables, and the mediating effects of family resilience and the moderating role of resilient coping. The results show that loneliness (b = -.522, p < .01) and PIU (b = -.351, p < .01) had a significant negative effect on mental health. Family resilience mediated the relationship between loneliness and mental health, while loneliness reduced family resilience (b = -.230, p < .01) and family resilience improved mental health (b = .414, p < .05). Meanwhile, resilient coping had no direct effect on mental health (b = -.147, p > .05), but played a significant role as a moderator in the relationship between PIU and mental health (b = .020, p < .05). The findings emphasize the importance of interventions that strengthen family resilience and students' coping ability to maintain mental health amid increasingly complex social and digital pressures.