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Shyness has been reported to be closely associated with problematic mobile phone use, yet the underlying mechanism which may mediate or moderate this relationship remains obscure. Based on the cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use, combined with the theory of compensatory internet use and self-determination theory, the current study aimed to examine the association between shyness and problematic mobile phone use and the mediating role of social anxiety, as well as the moderating role of relatedness need satisfaction perceived on the mobile phone. A sample of 1050 Chinese adolescents recruited from middle schools completed the questionnaires. Mediation analysis revealed that social anxiety could partially mediate the relationship between shyness and problematic mobile phone use. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis indicated that shyness could exacerbate …