Procrastination and online social anxiety: the mediating role of cognitive overload and the moderating influence of mindfulness
Shaolei Chen, Zhuoling Xie, Hongjing Wu, Zichuan Song
Frontiers in Public Health January 27, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1710399 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 580 |
| Population | Adults |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Procrastination in online social contexts was positively associated with online social anxiety, partially mediated by cognitive overload. Mindfulness moderated both the procrastination-cognitive overload link and the direct association with anxiety, with higher mindfulness attenuating these adverse associations. The authors state the cross-sectional design means these are patterns of association consistent with their proposed model, not causal effects. |
Abstract
In an era of ubiquitous digital communication, online social anxiety has become an increasingly salient issue in the context of digital wellbeing. While procrastination is a known risk factor for psychological distress, the cognitive pathways linking it to online anxiety-and the protective factors that might mitigate these associations-remain poorly understood. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines a theorized "depletion-overload-anxiety" pathway by testing whether cognitive overload mediates the association between procrastination and online social anxiety, and whether mindfulness buffers this process. A cross-sectional survey of 580 adults measured procrastination in online social contexts, cognitive overload, online social anxiety, and trait mindfulness. The results showed a significant positive association between procrastination and online social anxiety, which was partially mediated by cognitive overload. Mindfulness functioned as a protective resource, moderating both the link between procrastination and cognitive overload and the direct association with anxiety; specifically, higher mindfulness attenuated the adverse associations of procrastination with both overload and anxiety. These findings suggest that procrastination may be related to elevated online social anxiety partly through increased cognitive overload, whereas mindfulness may buffer this association by supporting more adaptive attentional regulation. By framing procrastination-related strain in digital communication as a digital wellbeing issue, the study speaks to public digital health efforts aimed at reducing technology-related stress and improving psychological functioning in everyday online interaction. Given the cross-sectional design, the findings should be interpreted as patterns of association consistent with the proposed model rather than causal effects. Accordingly, digital wellbeing initiatives may consider incorporating mindfulness-based strategies to help reduce the psychological strain associated with procrastination in digital communication settings.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- TMS-EEG Shows Mindfulness Meditation Is Associated With a Different Excitation/Inhibition Balance in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Mindfulness February 1, 2025
- The effects of short video app-guided loving-kindness meditation on college students' mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychological capital, and suicide ideation. Psicologia, reflexao e critica : revista semestral do Departamento de Psicologia da UFRGS October 30, 2023
- Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density Psychiatry Research November 10, 2010