Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of out-of-school adolescents’ social stigma on smart-phone addiction through career disorders and depression. In the process that social stigma of adolescents outside of school affects smart-phone addiction, the mediating effect of career barriers and depression was verified. The subjects of this study were 318 subjects who participated in the 5th year survey of out-of-school youth panel by the Korea Youth Policy Institute. For data analysis, the correlations and mediating effects between major variables were verified. As a result of the study, first, all of the major variables were found to have statistically significant correlations. Second, the social stigma of out-of-school adolescents was found to have an effect on smart-phone addiction through career disorders and depression, confirming a double mediation. In addition, in the process in which out-of-school adolescents’ social stigma affects smart-phone addiction, it was confirmed that career disorder and depression were respectively mediated, but social stigma did not have a significant effect on smart-phone addiction. Based on these results, prevention of smart-phone addiction among out-of-school adolescents and intervention methods and implications for youth coaching were presented.