The relationship between schizotypal personality and internet addiction in university students

Socio-demographic and mental health correlates of internet addiction amongst Hong Kong university students under COVID-19

Introduction

Regarding the problem of Internet addiction (IA) amongst university students under the pandemic, there are several research gaps. Firstly, few studies have examined IA of university students in Hong Kong, which is a Chinese society heavily influenced by Western values. In addition, findings on the socio-demographic correlates and psychological well-being predictors of IA in university students are unclear. Finally, researchers have not systematically examined the interaction effects of socio-demographic factors (particularly gender and personal infection of COVID-19) and psychological morbidity on IA. This pioneer study aimed to investigate the predictive role of socio-demographic factors and psychological morbidity in IA, and the moderating effects of gender and personal infection of COVID-19 on the relationship between psychological morbidity and IA.

Methods

We conducted an online survey (N = 1,020 university students) during the ending phase of Wave 5 of the pandemic in Hong Kong (late 2022 to early 2023). Socio-demographic correlates included age, gender, living status, personal and family financial situation, student status, personal and family infection of COVID-19. Participants responded to validated measures of psychological morbidity, including depression, suicidal behavior, and hopelessness. Hierarchical regression and simple slope analyses were used to examine the predictive role of socio-demographic variables and psychological morbidity in IA and the interactive effect of gender and personal infection of COVID-19 with psychological morbidity on IA.

Results

Personal financial difficulty was a significant socio-demographic predictor of IA. Depression, suicidal behavior, and hopelessness positively predicted IA. We also found a significant interaction effect of gender and psychological morbidity on IA. While the predictive relationship between depression and IA was stronger in males than in females, hopelessness was more strongly related to IA in females than in males. Finally, there was a significant interaction effect of personal infection of COVID-19 and suicidal behavior on IA.

Conclusion

Personal financial difficulty was a socio-economic correlate of IA. Psychological morbidity also predicted IA. Gender and personal infection of COVID-19 moderated the linkage between psychological morbidity and IA. The findings of the study enhance our understanding of individual differences in IA in university students during the pandemic, particularly concerning different ecological risk factors.

Problematic Smartphone Use Mediates the Pathway from Suicidal Ideation to Positive Psychotic Experiences: a Large Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study

The present study followed the newly hypothesized "suicidal drive for psychosis" suggesting that psychosis may be consequential to suicidal ideation (SI) and behavior and attempted to explain parts of the pathway between these variables. To this end, we aimed to test whether problematic smartphone use (PSU) has an indirect mediating effect in the cross-sectional relationship between SI and positive psychotic experiences (PEs). Lebanese community young adults (N=4158; 64.4% females; mean age 21.91±3.79) have been invited to participate to a cross-sectional, web-based study in the period from June to September 2022. After adjusting for potential confounders (i.e., the living situation, marital status, household crowding index, economic pressure, cannabis use, other drugs use, and past history of mental illness other than psychosis), we found that higher levels of suicidal ideation was significantly associated with greater PSU, which was also positively and significantly associated with more positive PEs. Finally, greater suicidal ideation was significantly and directly associated with more positive PEs. Our findings suggest that SPU may be regarded as a potential target for prevention and intervention in psychosis. Clinicians, educators, and school administrators ought to give greater attention to PSU among vulnerable young people who present with SI.

The relationship between technology addictions and schizotypal traits: mediating roles of depression, anxiety, and stress

BACKGROUND

The way how technology addiction relates to psychosis remains inconclusive and uncertain. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis of a mediating role of depression, anxiety and stress in the association between three technology (behavioral) addictions (i.e., Addiction to the Internet, smartphones and Facebook) and psychosis proneness as estimated through schizotypal traits in emerging adults.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed among non-clinical Tunisian university students (67.6% females, mean age of 21.5 ± 2.5 years) using a paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

Results for the Pearson correlation revealed that higher smartphone, Internet, and Facebook addictions' scores were significantly and positively correlated with each of the depression, anxiety and stress subscores; whereas depression (r = 0.474), anxiety (r = 0.499) and stress (r = 0.461) scores were positively correlated with higher schizotypal traits. The results of the mediation analysis found a significant mediating effect for depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms on the cross-sectional relationship between each facet of the TA and schizotypal traits.

CONCLUSION

Our findings preliminarily suggest that an addictive use of smartphones, Internet and Facebook may act as a stressor that exacerbates psychosis proneness directly or indirectly through distress. Although future longitudinal research is needed to determine causality, we draw attention to the possibility that treating psychological distress may constitute an effective target of interventions to prevent psychosis in adolescents with technology addictions.

Internet addiction is associated with psychological distress in highly schizotypal students

BACKGROUND

There is some limited evidence of an association between technology addictions and emergence of pre-psychotic symptoms, high psychoticism, psychotic like experiences and high schizotypy among young non-clinical adults. These addictions and their subsequent distress are likely to contribute to transition to psychosis in individuals at risk. We aimed to compare smartphone, Internet and Facebook addictions between low and high schizotypal individuals; and to explore the association between these addictions and distress in the high schizotypy group.

METHODS

From a pool of 700 students, the final sample consisted of 74 low schizotypal and 70 high schizotypal students. The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, the Internet Addiction Test, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales.

RESULTS

Students of the high schizotypy group displayed significantly greater scores on smartphone (p < .001), Internet (p < .001) and Facebook (p = .001) addictions scales, as compared to those of the low schizotypy group. After controlling for potential confounders, Internet addiction predicted psychological distress in the high schizotypy group (R²  = 0.380, F_(13,55)  = 2.597, p < .001) and explained an additional 19.7% of variation in Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales total scores in the final model.

CONCLUSION

Although preliminary, our findings shed light on relatively new avenues for prevention and early intervention in psychosis. It is recommended to raise awareness about Internet addiction risks, particularly among vulnerable young adults; and to find ways to turn Internet into a protective rather than stressor factor, by utilizing it as a resource in the care pathway.

Factors influencing schizotypal personality trait-dependent immersion and digital media usage: Adaptation and maladaptation

Immersion in the digital environment has been widely researched; however, the effects of adaptive and maladaptive schizotypal personality traits on immersion have received relatively little attention up till now. This study investigates the factors of personal immersion while using entertainment and digital communication applications and other variables such as problematic internet usage, and Facebook addiction. The Immersive Tendency Questionnaire was applied to measure participants' tendency to experience artistic and life-like scenarios in traditional settings (reading a book and watching a movie) and digital environments (playing computer games and using the internet). The study was conducted with 717 college students and graduate persons including, 186 males (mean age: 28.49) and 531 females (mean age: 28.4). The results show that lowered focusing abilities are directly linked with deficiencies in self-coherence, and maladaptive behavior that manifests in problematic internet and Facebook usage. Furthermore, the attention/focusing ability during immersion is accompanied by coherent self-structure and psychological well-being. Therefore, for people who have adequate focusing skills and coherent self-structure, the usage of social media and computer gaming can be considered adequate digital tools for developing their cognitive and social skills.

Measuring Immersion, Involvement, and Attention Focusing Tendencies in the Mediated Environment: The Applicability of the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire

This study explores the personal predispositions and dependencies while individuals use digital media and communication devices and analyses the statistical features of the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire (ITQ) that is popular in assessing the personality trait-dependent reaction to mediated environments. The study evaluated 781 healthy graduates and postgraduates, of which 192 were men (average age: 28.6 years) and 589 were women (average age: 28.4 years). We applied several questionnaires to measure immersive tendencies in a mediated environment, adaptive and maladaptive personality predispositions, and problematic Internet use and Facebook addiction scales. We analyze the statistical features of the long and short forms of the Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire. The data obtained support the reliable usage of the short form of the instrument. The factor structure of the questionnaire presents dual facets. First, it indicates an absorptive and immersive tendency in any case of maladaptive tendencies. Second, it reflects an intensive capability to focus on the mediated environment with adequate cognitive control to avoid any contingency of being addicted. The short form of the ITQ is reliable and adequate to assess the relationship between the self-referred and environment-dependent psychological functions.

Prevalence of internet addiction and its association to impulsivity, aggression, depression, and anxiety in young adult university students

Abstract The increasing availability of the Internet, although with many positive effects for most, has triggered addictive effects for part of the population. They experience social isolation due to Internet overuse and, when deprived of it, they feel anxiety, fissure, and psychomotor agitation. This study investigated associations among Internet addiction, demographic and cognitive variables, such as impulsivity, aggression, and depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. In this study, 1,485 young adults (67.9% women) were assessed using four psychological instruments. It was found that 19.1% of the participants presented a moderate or severe internet addiction, with men having a higher prevalence (45.0%). The risk population also included individuals who use the Internet for gaming and residents of the Northeastern region of Brazil. Moreover, a higher index of motor or attentional impulsivity, or more depressive symptoms, seems to increase the prevalence of Internet Addiction, requiring greater attention in preventive strategies.

Managing Problematic Usage of the Internet and Related Disorders in an Era of Diagnostic Transition: An Updated Review

INTRODUCTION

Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) refers to a broad and likely heterogeneous group of Internet-related conditions associated with behavioural disturbances and functional impairment.

METHODS

Within PUI several conditions have been reported, including Gaming Disorder, Shopping Addiction, Cyberchondria, Gambling Disorder, Cyberpornography Addiction and Cyberbullying. While increasing reports in the field try to define the epidemiologic and clinical boundaries of these conditions, the rapid and continuous evolution of Internet related behaviours as well as their problematic/pathological expressions are often difficult to diagnose, assess, approach with treatment interventions and follow-up.

RESULTS

In addition, some of the PUI-related conditions show characteristics of addiction to the Internet as a preferential tool to engage in specific behaviours, while some others exclusively manifest on the Internet, making it necessary to find distinct assessment and treatment pathways.

CONCLUSION

The inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder in Section III by the DSM-5 and the recognition of Gaming Disorder by the ICD-11 opened the way for a systematic clinical investigation of this and other PUI-related conditions, particularly in terms of preventive and therapeutic strategies. The present article is aimed at offering an updated clinical overview on the main expressions of PUI, focussing on the latest acquisitions in this evolving field.

Patologías asociadas al uso problemático de internet. Una revisión sistemática y metaanálisis en WOS y Scopus

El uso problemático de internet (UPI) ha empezado a vincularse con la predisposición a padecer ciertas patologías que afectan la salud del ser humano. Este trabajo se propuso determinar las patologías asociadas al uso problemático de internet a partir de una revisión sistemática en Web of Science y Scopus, y analizar la incidencia del UPI en cada una de las patologías a través del metaanálisis. Así pues, se empleó una metodología de revisión sistemática con metaanálisis y se estableció una muestra final de 62 documentos. Entre los resultados destacan, como principales patologías asociadas al uso problemático de internet, el trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo, el abuso del alcohol, la depresión, el estrés, los trastornos del sueño, el déficit de atención y la hiperactividad y los trastornos alimenticios. Además, en la mayoría de estas patologías se estableció una significación estadística entre los grupos de control y los grupos con UPI. Finalmente, se muestra una panorámica general sobre los riesgos que conlleva el abuso de internet y la incidencia que presentan en la salud tanto física como mental.

Nonconformist tendencies related to risky choices in female methamphetamine abstainers

Background: Many experimental studies and theoretical models have tried to explain the multifaceted formation of drug addiction. In most addiction models, social factors are an important component; however, few empirical studies have investigated the social influences on the safe or risky choices of drug-addicted individuals during the abstinence stage. Objectives: To investigate the behavioral patterns of female methamphetamine abstainers under social influence. Methods: Thirty-seven female methamphetamine abstainers (average abstinence time: 8.61 ± 4.75 months) and 40 matched controls performed a gambling task in the presence of peers' choices. We applied both model-free and computational model-based analysis to examine how the decision patterns differed with social influence between the two groups. Results: 1) the choice data from the two groups showed a social influence effect such that participants made more risky choices when others made risky choices; 2) overall, the female methamphetamine abstainers made more risky choices in the social influence task; and 3) in the computational model parameters, the female methamphetamine abstainers exhibited more nonconforming attitudes (with negative other-conferred utility) with respect to peer influence, whereas controls showed higher conformity to peers. Conclusion: Our findings provide the first objective evidence that female methamphetamine abstainers show peer nonconformity. This nonconformist tendency may be a potential behavioral marker to track drug addiction and help to elucidate the mechanisms of decisions made by female methamphetamine abstainers.