Purpose <p>Physical and psychological maltreatment is highly correlated with Internet addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between these two variables need further exploration. This study investigates anxiety as a mediating factor and difficulty describing feelings as a moderating factor, aiming to deepen the understanding of the psychological mechanisms between physical maltreatment and Internet addiction among college students.</p> Methods <p>A self-reported survey was conducted with 1,480 college students in China. The survey assessed physical and psychological maltreatment, Internet addiction, anxiety, and difficulty describing feelings. Descriptive and correlation analyses were performed on these variables, and a moderated mediation model was constructed.</p> Results <p>Physical and psychological maltreatment were significantly positively correlated with anxiety, Internet addiction, and difficulty describing feelings. Anxiety showed a significant positive correlation with both Internet addiction and difficulty describing feelings. Internet addiction and difficulty describing feelings were also significantly positively correlated. Anxiety fully mediated the relationship between physical and psychological maltreatment and Internet addiction, and difficulty describing feelings moderated the relationship between physical and psychological maltreatment and anxiety.</p> Conclusion <p>This study provides new insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical and psychological maltreatment and Internet addiction among college students. The findings highlight that anxiety fully mediates this relationship, while difficulty describing feelings strengthens the link between maltreatment and anxiety, suggesting potential targets for intervention in addressing Internet addiction.</p>