The exacerbation of depression, hostility, and social anxiety in the course of Internet addiction among adolescents: a prospective study

The mediation and interaction effects of Internet addiction in the association between family functioning and depressive symptoms among adolescents: A four-way decomposition

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies have demonstrated that both family dysfunction and internet addiction (IA) are associated with a higher risk of adolescent depression. However, no study has yet investigated the mechanisms involved. This study aims to explore the mediation and interaction roles of internet addiction (IA) between family functioning and depressive symptoms among adolescents in rural China.

METHODS

A multi-stage, stratified cluster, and random sampling was conducted among 3343 adolescents in rural China from October 27 to November 6, 2020. Depressive symptoms, IA, and family functioning were assessed using the Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Family Adaptation Partnership Growth Affection and Resolve Index (APGAR), respectively. Correlation analysis was performed by binary logistic regression. The study employed a four-way decomposition method to explore the potential mechanisms of family functioning on depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The results indicated that family functioning and IA were associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms. The interaction between family functioning and IA accounted for 74 % of the association between family functioning and depression symptoms, while direct effects accounted for 24 %. The "proportion eliminated" (76.11 %) was substantially larger than "proportion mediated" (7.36 %).

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design limited to identify the causal relationship among the variables.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that family dysfunction synergizes with IA to contribute to the high risk of adolescent depression. Prioritizing at preventing IA in adolescence could be an effective way to mitigate the adverse effects of family dysfunction on depression.

The Mediating Effect of Social Anxiety on the Relationship Between Internet Addiction and Aggression in Teenagers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of "internet addiction level" on "aggression level" among teenagers and to examine the mediating role of "social anxiety level" on this effect. The study participants consisted of 958 students attending private teaching institutions for university preparation in Turkey. Data was collected from voluntary participants through data collection forms delivered to the management of these institutions. "Sociodemographic Characteristics Questionnaire Form", "Young's Internet Addiction Test", "Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire" and "Social Anxiety Scale" were used as data collection tools. A regression analysis based on the bootstrap method was implemented to test whether "social anxiety level" had a mediating role on the influence of students' "internet addiction level" on "aggression level". According to the findings, it was determined that the indirect effect of "internet addiction" on "aggression" was significant, and therefore, "social anxiety level" mediated the relationship between "internet addiction" and "aggression".

Adverse childhood experience and young adult's problematic Internet use: The role of hostility and loneliness

BACKGROUND

Few studies have explored the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and problematic Internet use (PIU) during young adulthood. Moreover, even fewer studies have explored the roles of loneliness (social and emotional) and hostility in this relationship.

METHODS

This study used data from the Taiwan Youth Project (2011-2017). The analytical sample included 1885 participants (mean age = 31.3 years). PIU was measured using the short form of Chen's Internet Addiction Scale (2017). ACEs were assessed at the baseline of the adolescent phase (mean age = 14.3 years); this indicator has undergone recent revision. Hostility (three items from the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised) and loneliness (six items from the De Jong Gierveld scale) were measured in 2011 and 2014, respectively.

RESULTS

ACEs were associated with hostility and loneliness (emotional and social). Additionally, hostility (β = 0.62, p < .01) and emotional loneliness (β = 0.44, p < .01) were significantly associated with PIU. Most mediating paths (e.g., ACE → hostility → PIU) were significant, based on the bootstrapping results.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that ACEs have a long-term shadow effect on PIU in young adults. ACEs show an indirect association with PIU through both hostility and loneliness, as well as involving the relationship between them.

Mediation and interaction of problematic internet use in the relationship between sexual minority status and depressive symptoms: Gender-based analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated that sexual minorities are at a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. However, few prior investigations have examined the potential mechanisms involved. This study aimed to employ the four-way decomposition approach that integrates the analysis of mediation and interaction to investigate the potential role of problematic internet use between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

The participants were recruited through a multi-stage, stratified cluster, and random sampling method in China. Students who identified as "gay or lesbian" and "bisexual" were defined as "sexual minorities". The Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to evaluate problematic internet use. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-20) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

A total of 59,859 adolescents were included in this study, with 30,180 (53.25 %) boys and 29,679 (46.75 %) girls. Of these, 7263 (12.13 %) were identified as sexual minorities. Gender differences were observed in the association between sexual orientation, problematic internet use, and depressive symptoms. The mediating effect of problematic internet use was 28.80 % for boys and 36.84 % for girls, respectively. The interaction effect between problematic internet use and sexual minority status on depressive symptoms was 21.19 % and 9.65 % for boys and girls, respectively.

LIMITATIONS

The current study was limited by the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving mental health outcomes among sexual minority adolescents should prioritize considering the impact of problematic internet use and potential gender differences.

Social anxiety and suicidal ideation among middle-school students in China: a mediation model of internet addiction

Background

Suicide is a fatal public health issue for adolescents, and it is of great significance to explore the precursors of suicidal behaviors, especially suicidal ideation. However, the relationship between social anxiety and suicidal ideation and its mechanism are still unclear. The study aims to examine the association between social anxiety and suicidal ideation and the mediating effect through Internet addiction.

Methods

A total of 2,278 middle-school students aged 12 to 16 years were recruited through a multistage cluster sampling method in this cross-sectional study. Logistical regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects of social anxiety.

Results

During the past year, 262 (11.50%) participants reported suicidal ideation. Females had a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation than males (12.9% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.034), and urban adolescents reported a higher prevalence than their rural counterparts (13.4% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.006). In the total sample, social anxiety and Internet addiction were independently associated with suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, the association between social anxiety and suicidal ideation was significant only among rural females and urban males (p < 0.05). SEM demonstrated that social anxiety had direct and indirect effects on suicidal ideation, and Internet addiction partially mediated the relationship, with a mediating ratio of 30.53%. The partial mediating effect was also significant only in rural females and urban males.

Conclusion

Adolescents may overuse the Internet to cope with social anxiety and further have suicidal ideation. Limiting Internet use and improving interpersonal skills in real life may be efficient for suicide prevention. In addition, targeted interventions should be tailored by different sexes across urban and rural regions.

Problematic internet use and sleep quality in adolescents with major depressive disorder

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Dark Personality Traits and Online Behaviors: Portuguese Versions of Cyberstalking, Online Harassment, Flaming and Trolling Scales

The main objective of this study is to assess moderation effects of online behaviors between personality traits and addiction to Internet. To this end, four instruments were validated for Portuguese version through confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis (Study 1) Multiple regression analysis was applied to examine the personality predictors of specific online behaviors while controlling for gender and age; and moderation effects were assessed (Study 2). Results showed good psychometric properties for the four validated scales. Machiavellianism is positively associated with all the dimensions of this study. Psychopathy is positively associated with total Cyberstalking, Cyberstalking Control, Flaming and Trolling. Narcissism is positively associated with all the dimensions, except Online Harassment and Flaming. Machiavellianism is positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking, Flaming and Trolling. Psychopathy is positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking Control and Flaming. Narcissism is also positively associated with Addiction to Internet through Cyberstalking and Trolling. This study demonstrates that dimensions of the dark triad of personality play an important role in Internet addiction through online behaviors. The results of this study have theoretical and practical implications: on the one hand, they reinforces the findings of other studies showing that dimensions of the dark personality triad play an important role in Internet and social network addition, contributing to the literature; and, on the other hand, on a practical level, they allow to conduct awareness campaigns in communities, schools, and work to understand that one can be exposed to unpleasant situations due to behaviors that some people with personality traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism and/or psychopathy that may cause problems affecting the mental, emotional and psychological health of others.

The longitudinal associations between perceived importance of the internet and depressive symptoms among a sample of Chinese adults

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which individuals' cognitive evaluation of the importance of the Internet is associated with depressive symptoms, and in what ways.

Methods

This study utilized a sample of 4,100 participants from the fourth (2016), fifth (2018), and sixth (2020) waves of the China Family Panel Studies. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis.

Result

The findings of this study reveal that individuals' cognitive evaluation of the importance of the Internet in 2016 was positively linked with the frequency of Internet use and subjective socioeconomic status in 2018. Furthermore, the frequency of Internet use and subjective socioeconomic status in 2018 were found to be negatively associated with depressive symptoms in 2020. These results indicate that the perceived importance of the Internet has an indirect effect on depressive symptoms through the identified pathway.

Conclusion

The present findings contribute to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of individuals' perceived importance of the internet as a significant factor that influences depressive symptoms. The results suggest that policy makers should take actions to increase public awareness of the importance of the Internet in the digital era, and to ensure equitable access to the internet, thus facilitating convenient internet use and helping individuals adapt to the digital age.

Examining Online Behaviors of Young Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemic Social Isolation Period with Regard to Life Satisfaction, Loneliness, and Hostility

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed individuals to intense restrictions and social isolation, as well as the possibility of deterioration of physical health. In the pandemic period, the Internet has become the principal avenue for social interaction, leisure related activities, and school-work pursuits for most people and consequently problematic Internet use (PIU) has increased dramatically in this period. Modeling of PIU among university students - considered one of the most negatively affected groups at this time - along with PIU subconstructs as well as indicators of psychological well-being - life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility - will be valuable in directing future studies. This study examined the effects of the psychological well-being indicators of life satisfaction, loneliness, and hostility on PIU constructs; the preference for online social interaction, Internet use for mood regulation, and deficient self-regulation of Internet use during the Covid-19 pandemic social isolation period. Participants were 418 undergraduate students from a public university (130 male and 288 female). Results revealed that young adults with low life satisfaction have been more likely to problematically use the Internet to regulate their mood during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hostility and loneliness between which there is a moderately strong direct relationship, were similarly related to deficiently self-regulated Internet use. Moreover, individuals experiencing feelings of loneliness are more likely to use the Internet problematically for online social interaction purposes, while those experiencing feelings of hostility are more likely to use it problematically for mood regulation purposes. Given the significant relationships between indicators of psychological well-being and PIU, higher education institutions should take measures to prevent PIU behaviors in their students in case they face potential periods of social isolation.

Does Problematic Use of Social Network Mediate the Association between Bullying Victimization and Loneliness among Lebanese Adolescents?

(1) Background: Bullying victimization has been associated with several behavioral outcomes, particularly loneliness. Similarly, an increase in social network use has been identified in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been shown to be associated with bullying and loneliness. Investigating the mediating factors of loneliness among bullied adolescents is useful for taking preventive measures in the Lebanese population. This study aims to examine the association between bullying victimization and loneliness among Lebanese adolescents while considering the indirect effect of problematic social network use. (2) Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study, between January and April 2022, that enrolled 379 adolescent Lebanese students (64.9% females, mean age 16.07 ± 1.19 years) who were current residents of Lebanon (15 to 18 years), and were from the five governorates of Lebanon (Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, South and Bekaa). The snowball method was applied to select our sample; an electronic copy of the questionnaire was created using the Google Forms software and an online strategy was designed to collect the data. (3) Results: Negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network mediated the association between bullying victimization and loneliness. Higher bullying victimization was significantly associated with higher negative social comparison and addictive consequences of problematic use of social network, which in turn were significantly associated with more loneliness. Finally, higher bullying victimization was directly significantly associated with more loneliness. (4) Conclusions: Studying the mediating factors of loneliness in bullied adolescents can improve our understanding of this topic, allowing us to propose new interventions to prevent psychological problems in adolescents. Future studies are needed to further clarify the physiological processes that underlie the associations between social triggers and loneliness during adolescence.

The involvement of spontaneous brain activity in natural recovery from internet gaming disorder: A resting-state fMRI study

OBJECTIVE

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) can seriously impair an individual's physical and mental health. However, unlike the majority of those suffering from substance addiction, individuals with IGD may recover without any professional intervention. Understanding the brain mechanisms of natural recovery from IGD may provide new insight into how to prevent addiction and implement more targeted interventions.

METHODS

Sixty individuals with IGD were scanned by using a resting-state fMRI to assess brain region changes associated with IGD. After 1 year, 19 individuals with IGD no longer met the IGD criteria and were considered recovered (RE-IGD), 23 individuals still met the IGD criteria (PER-IGD), and 18 individuals left the study. The brain activity in resting state between 19 RE-IGD individuals and 23 PER-IGD individuals was compared by using regional homogeneity (ReHo). Additionally, brain structure and cue-craving functional MRIs were collected to further support the results in the resting-state.

RESULTS

The resting-state fMRI results revealed that activity in brain regions responsible for reward and inhibitory control [including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the precuneus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)] was decreased in the PER-IGD individuals compared to RE-IGD individuals. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between mean ReHo values in the precuneus and self-reported craving scores for gaming, whether among the PER-IGD individuals or the RE-IGD individuals. Furthermore, we found similar results in that brain structure and cue-craving differences exist between the PER-IGD individuals and RE-IGD individuals, specifically in the brain regions associated with reward processing and inhibitory control (including the DLPFC, anterior cingulate gyrus, insula, OFC, precuneus, and superior frontal gyrus).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that the brain regions responsible for reward processing and inhibitory control are different in PER-IGD individuals, which may have consequences on natural recovery. Our present study provides neuroimaging evidence that spontaneous brain activity may influence natural recovery from IGD.

The relationship between parental neglect and cyberbullying perpetration among Chinese adolescent: The sequential role of cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder

Cyberbullying perpetration and victimization have been common public health issues that have impaired the development of adolescent physical and mental health. Abundant research has proven associations between negative parental factors and cyberbullying perpetration. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the impact of parental neglect on cyberbullying and its internal mechanisms. Based on the parental acceptance-rejection theory (PARTheory) and the general aggression model (GAM), the present study constructs a sequential mediation model in which parental neglect is related to adolescent cyberbullying perpetration through cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Using random cluster sampling, a total of 699 middle school students (M _age = 14.18 years, SD = 1.22, and 324 boys) were recruited from five schools in three provinces on mainland China. The participants completed questionnaires regarding parental neglect, cyberbullying perpetration, cyberbullying victimization, and IGD. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that parental neglect was positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration. The mediating effects of cyberbullying victimization and IGD in this relationship are significant both individually and jointly. The current findings have important implications for enlightening families and schools to pay particular attention to adolescents' experiences of parental neglect and provide them with timely feedback and assistance. This will contribute to the prevention and reduction of adolescent involvement in cyberbullying perpetration.

Association between childhood physical abuse and suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents: The mediation of aggression

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies have examined many predictors of suicidal behaviors. However, little is known for childhood physical abuse (CPA) and aggression, which are prevalent among adolescents. This study aimed to explore association between CPA and suicidal behaviors, and the potential mediating role of aggression.

METHOD

A total of 16,111 students graded 7 to 12 were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling across five representative provinces in China. Conflict Tactics Scale-Parents to Child (CTS-PC) and Buss and Warren's Aggression Questionnaire (BWAQ) were used to measure CPA and aggression, respectively.

RESULTS

During the last year, 16.0 % of adolescents reported suicidal behaviors. Specifically, 7.9 % were suicide ideators, 4.6 % were planners, and 3.5 % were attempters. The prevalence of CPA in mild, moderate, and severe was 15.7 %, 26.9 %, and 4.4 %, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that moderate and severe CPA and overall aggression were associated with suicide ideators, planners, and attempters. In five sub-types of aggression, only hostility was significantly associated with all three suicidal behaviors. Structural equation modelling showed that aggression partially mediate the relationship between CPA and suicidal behaviors. The mediation proportion of overall aggression, physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, hostility, and indirect aggression were 27.2 %, 22.4 %, 5.2 %, 14.2 %, 23.5 %, and 12.1 %, respectively.

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional design, self-reported questionnaire, and no other forms of childhood maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

CPA is a critical risk factor of suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents and aggression is a mediator between CPA and suicidal behaviors. Targeted suicide prevention should focus on those adolescents who report CPA and aggression, especially for hostility.

Factors Affecting the Use of Social Networks and Its Effect on Anxiety and Depression among Parents and Their Children: Predictors Using ML, SEM and Extended TAM

Previous research has found support for depression and anxiety associated with social networks. However, little research has explored parents' depression and anxiety constructs as mediators that may account for children's depression and anxiety. The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of different factors on children's depression and anxiety, extending from parents' anxiety and depression in Jordan. The authors recruited 857 parents to complete relevant web survey measures with constructs and items and a model based on different research models TAM and extended with trust, analyzed using SEM, CFA with SPSS and AMOS, and ML methods, using the triangulation method to validate the results and help predict future applications. The authors found support for the structural model whereby behavioral intention to use social media influences the parent's anxiety and depression which correlate to their offspring's anxiety and depression. Behavioral intention to use social media can be enticed by enjoyment, trust, ease of use, usefulness, and social influences. This study is unique in exploring rumination in the context of the relationship between parent-child anxiety and depression due to the use of social networks.

Role of social capital in adolescents’ online gaming: A longitudinal study focused on the moderating effect of social capital between gaming time and psychosocial factors

Adolescents often create social relationships with their gaming peers who take on the role of offline friends and peer groups. Through collaboration and competition in the games, the social relationships of adolescents are becoming broader and thicker. Although this is a common phenomenon in online games, few studies have focused on the formation and roles of social capital among adolescent gamers. In particular, longitudinal research that examines the role of social capital in terms of influencing gaming time on adolescent gamers’ psychosocial factors has been minimal. This study was designed to fill this gap to see the long-term effect of social capital among adolescent gamers. Specifically, by using the three-year longitudinal data involving 403 adolescents, we analyzed the effect of gaming time on psychological factors (i.e., loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and life satisfaction) with the moderating role of social capital. Results showed that social capital played a crucial moderating role. In the higher social capital group, gaming time enhanced the degree of self-esteem and life satisfaction. However, a vicious circle was found in the lower social capital group: Gaming time increased the degree of depression but decreased self-esteem, which in turn led to increase in gaming time. These results indicate that games work as an important tool for social capital cultivation among adolescent gamers, which imply successful cultivation of social capital is a key to positive gaming effects. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Smartphone addiction and victimization predicts sleep problems and depression among children

BACKGROUND

In this study we examined the phenomena of smartphone addiction, online harassment, and school bullying/victimization to predict the prospective influence these could have on the onset and persistence of sleep problems and depression among children.

METHODS

Responses from 2155 fifth-grade children recruited from 30 primary schools in Taipei were assessed, and a follow-up was performed in the 6th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected for each year.

FINDINGS

Children who reported smartphone addictions, online harassment, and school bullying/victimization coupled with an increase in those factors were more likely to experience the onset and persistence of sleep problems. In addition, children who reported smartphone addiction, online harassment, school bullying/victimization, and poor sleep quality were more likely to experience the onset and persistence of depression.

IMPLICATIONS

School nurses or pediatric nurses should be able to assess children's Internet use and risks to understand potential influences on sleep quality and mental status and provide recommendations for children, parents and schools.

Common Predictive Factors of Social Media Addiction and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Female College Students: State Anxiety and the Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility/Sustained Attention

This study aimed to investigate the common predictive factors between social media addiction (SMA) and eating disorder symptoms (EDS), in a group of Chinese female college students. A total of 216 students completed the behavioral assessments of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention, as well as the questionnaires on anxiety, social media dependence, and eating disorders. The results indicate that SMA is significantly correlated with EDS. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model in which state anxiety, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention predicted social gain and EDS. Additionally, the results confirmed the mediating role of cognitive flexibility and sustained attention between state anxiety and SMA/EDS in the participants. The findings revealed that in the sample group, state anxiety was related to SMA and EDS through cognitive flexibility and sustained attention. These proposals reflect the significance of improving cognitive flexibility/sustained attention and reducing state anxiety to prevent EDS and SMA in female college students.

Tackling the 'digital pandemic': The effectiveness of psychological intervention strategies in problematic Internet and smartphone use-A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Problematic Internet and smartphone use is associated with serious mental health problems. We thus investigated the effectiveness of psychological interventions on problematic Internet and smartphone use.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched in PubMed, PsyArticles, PsycInfo, Medline and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed experimental and quasi-experimental research published between 2008 and 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 10 studies accompanied by 14 effect sizes were included in the meta-analyses for problematic Internet use and 3 studies accompanied by 4 effect sizes for problematic smartphone use. The total sample size was n = 1439 with a mean age of 20.34 (SD = 6.63) years. Psychological interventions were effective for both problematic Internet use (g = -1.41, 95% confidence interval = [-1.90, -0.91], p < 0.001) and problematic smartphone use (g = -0.40, 95% confidence interval = [-0.79, -0.01], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Current evidence indicates that psychological interventions can be effective in reducing problematic Internet use/problematic smartphone use. However, the results must be considered preliminary due to the limited number of studies available in the respective fields.

Self-Control and Problematic Internet Use in College Students: The Chain Mediating Effect of Rejection Sensitivity and Loneliness

Purpose

To explore the relationship between self-control, rejection sensitivity, loneliness, and problematic internet use in college students.

Patients and Methods

A total of 725 college students were investigated using Self-control Scale, Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, Loneliness Scale, and Internet Addiction Scale.

Results

① Correlation analysis showed that self-control was negatively related to rejection sensitivity, loneliness, and problematic internet use; rejection sensitivity was positively related to loneliness and problematic internet use; loneliness was positively related to problematic internet use. ② Chain mediating effect analysis showed that self-control can not only affect problematic internet use in college students, but also through three indirect paths, as follows: the mediating role of rejection sensitivity and loneliness, the chain mediating roles of rejection sensitivity and loneliness, and the mediating effect size, accounting for 9.76%, 20.73%, and 4.88% of the total effect, respectively.

Conclusion

Rejection sensitivity and loneliness played a chain mediating role in the relationship between self-control and problematic internet use in college students.

Bidirectional relationship of problematic Internet use with hyperactivity/inattention and depressive symptoms in adolescents: a population-based cohort study

Problematic Internet use (PIU), hyperactivity/inattention, and depressive symptoms are comorbid problems in adolescence, but the causal relationships among these issues are unclear. To assess the relationships among PIU, hyperactivity/inattention, and depressive symptoms in adolescents in the general population. This longitudinal cohort study used data from the Tokyo Teen Cohort study in Tokyo, Japan, for two years between October 2012 and January 2015. Of the 3171 pairs of children and parents, 3007 pairs continued to participate in the second wave of the Tokyo Teen Cohort study. A total of 3007 children were included in the analysis (mean [standard deviation] age, 9.7 [0.4] years; 1418 women [47.2%]. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that PIU at timepoint 1 was significantly associated with hyperactivity/inattention at timepoint 2 (β = 0.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.06), and hyperactivity/inattention at timepoint 1 was also significantly associated with PIU at timepoint 2 (β = 0.07; 95% CI 0.04-0.10), even after adjustments were made for depressive symptoms. Furthermore, PIU at timepoint 1 was significantly associated with depressive symptoms at timepoint 2 (β = 0.05; 95% CI 0.01-0.12), and depressive symptoms at timepoint 1 were also significantly associated with PIU at timepoint 2 (β = 0.05; 95% CI 0.02-0.07), even after adjustments were made for hyperactivity/inattention. These results support the bidirectional relationships among PIU, hyperactivity/inattention, and depressive symptoms. PIU may be a target to improve hyperactivity/inattention and depressive symptoms in adolescents.

Association of problematic internet use with depression, impulsivity, anger, aggression, and social anxiety: Results of a national study among Lebanese adolescents

IMPORTANCE

Several studies conducted worldwide (mostly in Western countries) highlighted the negative effects of problematic internet use, particularly among adolescents aged 12 to 17, including depression, impulsivity, aggression, and social fear and avoidance. In Lebanon, literature on the prevalence and impact of problematic internet use among adolescents is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aim was to study the association between problematic internet use and depression, impulsivity, anger, aggression and social phobia among Lebanese adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed on 1103 young adolescents (14-17 years), recruited from October 2017 till April 2018. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to evaluate the level of problematic internet use. Data were analyzed using the MANCOVA analysis. The main independent variable of interest was the IAT, while the dependent variables included the psychological scales.

RESULTS

The multivariate analysis taking the psychological scales as the dependent variables and the problematic internet use (IAT score) as an independent variable, showed that problematic internet use was associated with higher depression, impulsivity, aggression, anger, hostility and social anxiety.

INTERPRETATION

Problematic internet use has become an important health issue that should not be overlooked, particularly because of the increased use of the internet by adolescents. Educational programs on early exposure to the internet should be developed.

Individual and Interpersonal Factors Associated with the Incidence, Persistence, and Remission of Internet Gaming Disorders Symptoms in an Adolescents Sample

Video game playing behavior has serious consequences for adolescents on a personal, family, social, and academic level. This research aimed to examine risk and protective factors involving incidence, persistence, and remission of gaming disorders symptoms (IGDs) in Spanish adolescents after nine months of follow-up. Data were drawn from self-administered questionnaires completed on two occasions: at the beginning (T1) and end of the academic year (T2). A total of 950 adolescents aged from 11 to 20 years (M = 14, SD = 1.52, 48.5% female) completed the questionnaire at T1, while 550 adolescents aged from 11 to 18 years (M = 13.43, SD = 1.23, 48.9% female) took part in the follow-up study (T2). The incidence, persistence, and remission rates were 6%, 2.7%, and 4.2%, respectively. Significant relationships with IGDs were found between the male gender and studying at a private school in T1 and T2. The findings show that the time spent playing video games during T1 was positively associated with IGDs in T1 and T2. The incidence of IGDs was associated with emotional problems and low family affection. The persistence of IGDs was linked to higher motor impulsivity, agreeableness, and lower family resolve. Remission was related to a decrease in anxiety and hostility as well as an increase in the emotional stability of adolescents. These findings imply that emotional well-being and family adjustment could be relevant for the effective management of gaming behaviors.

Prevalence and predictors of the persistence and incidence of adolescent internet addiction in Mainland China: A two-year longitudinal study

Internet addiction (IA), which can have different development patterns, is considered a serious problem among adolescents. Due to the increasing number of adolescent internet users in Mainland China, professionals are obligated to investigate the prevalence and predictors of IA persistence and incidence. This study investigated the prevalence of IA persistence and incidence among 1301 students in Mainland China across two years using a two-wave longitudinal design. Of the 187 students with IA in 7th grade, 40.64% had a persisting addiction by grade 9. Of the 1114 students without an IA in 7th grade, 10.32% had developed an IA by grade 9. Multilevel logistic regression analyses indicated that higher levels of depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 1.04; p = .04) and maternal education (odds ratio = 2.23; p = .01) could increase the likelihood of IA persistence. Significant predictors of IA incidence were being male (odds ratio = 0.59; p = .03), being an only child (odds ratio = 1.91; p = .01), having a low family income (odds ratio = 1.21; p < .001), and experiencing school maladjustment (odds ratio = 1.01; p < .01).

Depression Mediates the Relationship between Childhood Trauma and Internet Addiction in Female but Not Male Chinese Adolescents and Young Adults

Internet addiction is associated with a range of psychological risk factors such as childhood trauma and depression. Studies have also suggested sex differences in internet and other behavioral addictions. However, it remains unclear how childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction inter-relate differently between the sexes. A total of 1749 adolescents and young adults aged 12–27 participated in a survey of sociodemographic characteristics and standardized assessments to evaluate internet addiction (Internet Addiction Test), childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory). Mediation and path analyses were used to examine the relationship between childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction. Internet-addicted females relative to males showed more severe depression but the control participants showed the opposite. Childhood trauma was associated with depression for both internet-addicted males and females; however, internet-addicted females but not males showed significant associations between depression and the severity of internet addiction as well as between childhood trauma and the severity of internet addiction. Further, in females, depression mediated the correlations between all types of childhood trauma and the severity of internet addiction. A path analysis suggested that sexual abuse and emotional neglect contributed most significantly to internet addiction when all types of childhood trauma were examined in one model. The findings suggest sex differences in the relationship between childhood trauma, depression and internet addiction. Childhood trauma contributes to internet addiction through depression only in females. The findings may guide future prevention and intervention strategies of internet addiction.

A Latent Profile Analysis of Problematic Media Device Use and Its Association With Executive Function and Behavioral Problem Among Children: A Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVE

Despite the rapid increase in problematic media device use, relatively little is known about specific characteristics and extent of problematic media device and how they relate to different psychological features.

METHODS

Data extracted from the Panel Korea Study for the Child Cohort Study were used. At the age of 9 years, media device addiction severity was assessed using the K-scale, and children's behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. Among children with problematic media device use (n=339), we performed latent profile analysis using the K-scale to identify subtypes of problematic media device use, and then compared the child behavioral problems and executive function according to the different subtypes of problematic media device use.

RESULTS

Children with problematic media device use were divided into class 1 (n=51), class 2 (n=138), and class 3 (n=150). Compared with classes 2 and 3, class 1 had more severe problematic media device use, including daily activity disturbance, withdrawal, and tolerance. Class 1 had the most serious behavioral problems and executive function difficulties among classes. Class 2 had greater daily activity disturbance and tolerance than those of class 3, but executive function showed no significant difference between the two classes. In logistic regression analysis, behavioral problems except for somatization were more common in class 1 than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that problematic media device use is associated with significant behavioral problem and executive function difficulties and underscore the need for further clinical and research attention for these specific subgroup members.

Metacognitions as a predictor of online gaming in adolescents: Psychometric properties of the metacognitions about online gaming scale among Iranian adolescents

The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale (MOGS) measures maladaptive metacognitions about online gaming. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the MOGS, including its factor structure, reliability, and predictive validity among Iranian adolescents. The scale was administered to 769 Iranian adolescents (577 male, mean age = 16.39 ± 1.68 years) with an age range of 15-19 years. The participants completed the Persian-translated version of the MOGS, the Big Five Inventory-10, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21, the Video-Game Related Cognitions Scale, the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire, and the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (n = 350) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n = 419) confirmed three-factors similar to the parent version, including "negative metacognitions about uncontrollability of online gaming" (N-MOGU), "negative metacognitions about dangers of online gaming" (N-MOGD), and "positive metacognitions about online gaming" (P-MOG). The Persian MOGS's reliability showed a suitable internal consistency for the P-MOG, the N-MOGU, the N-MOGD, and the total score in both confirmatory and exploratory samples (range 0.79 to 0.93). A hierarchical regression analysis showed that the Persian MOGS predicted 33.9% of the variance in problematic online gaming independently of personality traits, anxiety, depression, stress, and both gaming-related cognitions and gaming motives. Furthermore, the results of analyses of variance with follow-up Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed that interaction between the factors of MOGS and types of game and tools of gaming was significant. The findings provide evidence that the Persian MOGS among Iranian adolescents appears psychometrically appropriate to be used by researchers and practitioners dealing with the prevention and treatment of problematic online gaming.

[The prevalence and mental comorbidity of internet-dependent behavior in adolescents of Central Siberia]

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) in adolescents in Central Siberia and the association of IA with mental health problems.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 2950 adolescents (44.7% boys and 54.3% girls), aged 11-18 years (mean age 14.5±1.3). Younger adolescents (11-14 years old) accounted for 52.4%, senior ones (15-18 years old) did 47.6%. The Chen scale (CIAS) with a cutoff level of 65 points was used to evaluate IA. The overall CIAS value of 27-42 points was regarded to be adaptive Internet use (AIU); 43-64 points being non-adaptive Internet use (NIU); 65 points and above were considered to be IA. Mental health was assessed using SDQ, which includes five scales: 1) prosocial behavior; 2) emotional symptoms; 3) behavior problems; 4) hyperactivity; 5) peer problems.

RESULTS

The prevalence of AIU is 50.3% (55.9% among boys and 45.6% among girls, p<0.01), NIU was found in 42.9% (38.9/46.3%, p<0.001), IA occurred in 6.8% (5.1/8.2%, p<0.001). The prevalence of IA among adolescents, aged 11-14 years old, was 5.9%, between the ages of 15-18 it was 7.8% (p=0.04). In the AIU group, emotional symptom** were observed in 5.1% of adolescents, behavior problems in 6.1%, hyperactivity in 3.6%; in the NIU group - in 14.9%, 11.7% and 9.4% of adolescents; in the IA group, there were 34%, 24% and 26% of adolescents, respectively. In terms of odds ratio (OR), the greatest effect size was observed for hyperactivity (OR=5.23, p<0.001) and emotional disorders (OR=4.85, p<0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of IA is 6.8%. IA is more common in girls and increases with age. IA is associated with mental health problems, the greatest effect size is observed for hyperactivity and emotional disorders. The incidence of psychopathological manifestations increases depending on the degree of impairment in network behavior.

Joint effects of children's emotional problems and parental depressive symptoms on the occurrence of internet gaming disorder among children and adolescents: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Parental depressive symptoms may aggravate the effects of children's emotional problems on risks for Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Here we examined the joint effects of children's emotional problems and parents' depressive symptoms on the incidence of IGD.

METHODS

A large prospective, population-based cohort tested potential interactions between children's emotional problems, parents' depressive symptoms, and incidence of high risk of IGD (HRIGD). Family dyads (n=2,031) that included children who were non-HRIGD at baseline completed assessments of childhood and parental affective symptomatology. HRIGD was assessed at baseline and 12 months. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) estimated the magnitudes of interactions.

RESULTS

In terms of risk for the development of IGD, parental depression was 1.8 times greater, children's emotional problems were 2.9 times greater, and both risk factors together were 6.1 times greater than the background risk, with the last two findings reaching statistical significance. The expected risk for the development of HRIGD was RR=3.7.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Children's emotional problems demonstrated a particularly strong relationship with HRIGD. Joint effects of children's emotional problems and depressive symptoms in parents on the incidence of HRIGD were stronger than the sum of the independent effects of each factor. The findings suggest that combining interventions for the treatment of children's emotional problems and parents' depressive symptoms may have extra risk reduction effects on preventing IGD in children and adolescents.

Effect of Social Anxiety on the Adoption of Robotic Training Partner

With the development of artificial intelligence technologies, robotic training partner is becoming a reality, which is a substitute for human training partner. Socially anxious individuals feel uncomfortable in front of unfamiliar people or when being observed by others. Playing with robotic training partners can avoid face-to-face interaction with other people. It is unclear whether social anxiety affects the adoption of robotic training partners. This study investigates the effect of social anxiety on the adoption of robotic training partners among university students. Study 1 confirmed that university students with higher social anxiety are more likely to choose robotic training partners than human training partners. Mediation analysis in Study 2 supported the mediating role of sense of relaxation with robotic training partner in the positive effect of social anxiety on the adoption of robotic training partner. This study shows that developing training partner robots is a meaningful thing for corporate profits and the health of socially anxious people.

Problematic internet use: The effect of comorbid psychopathology on treatment outcomes

Problematic Internet use (PIU) behaviours involve one's maladaptive Internet use and have been often described as secondary manifestations of pre-existing psychopathology. Furthermore, different profiles of PIU sufferers have been proposed. However, little is known of the impact these may be having on treatment responses. Thus, this study aims to investigate the psychopathological profiles of those who seek treatment for PIU within a specialised public outpatient unit and whether these influence treatment outcomes. This research utilised 203 treatment seekers of the Specialized Department of Problematic Internet Use (SD-PIU) of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, in Greece (mean age = 26.02; SD = 7.9). To assess psychopathology, the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) was used. Treatment responses were reported either as completed, continued, or drop out. A Latent Class/Profiling-Analysis (LCA) was performed, guided by variations across the SCL-90-R psychopathologies. It indicated two naturally occurring profiles of comorbid psychological symptoms; 66% were classified as the "High Comorbidity" (HC) and 34% as the "Low Comorbidity" (LC) profile. Regarding treatment outcomes, LC patients presented with significantly lower dropout rates and higher levels of completion. The present study poses imperative clinical implications regarding the necessity of specialized treatment planning based on the different PIU treatment seekers psychopathological comorbidities.

Associations Between Internet Addiction and Gender, Anxiety, Coping Styles and Acceptance in University Freshmen in South China

Objective: Internet addiction (IA) has become a global public health issue. Although previous studies revealed several risk factors related to IA, most of them focused on the western societies. The present study assesses the relationships between gender and other factors with IA in university freshmen in the South China. Methods: A total of 3,380 first-year college students (1,995 males and 1,385 females) participated in an evaluation of their experiences surfing on the Internet. We investigated the severity of IA in the participants by considering their psychological characteristics, such as acceptance, anxiety levels, and coping styles. Then, we compared the results between males and females and between those in addiction group (Chinese Internet Addiction Scale, CIAS, scores≥64) and non-addiction group (CIAS scores ≤27). We also conducted a logistic regression analysis to detect the relationships between severity of IA and psychological characteristics and gender differences. Results: We observed that males showed significantly higher scores in CIAS than females. The addiction group exhibited significantly higher state anxiety and trait anxiety, and experienced less acceptance of self and others and acceptance by others, and adopted less positive coping style and preferred negative coping style than non-addiction group. The logistic regression analysis revealed that three factors (negative coping styles, acceptance of self and others, state anxiety levels) had a significant association with more severe IA. Conclusion: Gender differences affect the severity of IA in the first-year students in South China. Males with state anxiety and negative coping styles deserve attention because they are likely to be addicted to the Internet. Thus, health practitioners should perform efficient strategies while considering gender differences to precaution first-year college students with the risk factors for IA.

An analysis of the brain structures underlying the link between pathological Internet use and anxiety

Pathological Internet use (PIU) is associated with various maladaptive problems and is becoming increasingly common among adolescents. Anxiety has been discovered as an important predictor of PIU, with the neural basis underlying the link between these two variables remaining unclear. In this study, PIU variations, individual anxiety levels, and T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images (MRI) were collected from 95 healthy male adolescents. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was then applied to identify the brain regions related to individual variations in PIU, with mediation analyses being conducted to explore the relationship between brain structure, anxiety, and PIU. The results revealed that the PIU tendency is positively correlated with regional grey matter density (rGMD) in the right inferior parietal lobe (IPL), which is known to be involved in inhibitory control. Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that the rGMD in the right IPL mediates the association between anxiety and PIU, which is consistent with the mood enhancement theory and the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. This mediation model suggests that individuals with higher anxiety might be more likely to use the Internet, with the rGMD in the right IPL being where the underlying cognitive mechanism of the relationship between these two variables lies. This study's findings possess implications for society's understandings of the correlations between anxiety and PIU from a brain structural perspective, which may then help in preventing the progression of PIU among adolescents.

Problematic internet use: A scoping review – longitudinal research on a contemporary social problem, 2006–2017

Background and aims:

Problematic internet use (PIU), and kindred concepts such as internet addiction (IA), make up a growing research field, partly due to the suggested inclusion of internet gaming disorder in a future DSM-6 as well as the fact that gaming disorder is on its way to being included in the ICD-11. Conclusions from research are far from unified. This study aims to synthesise the research field of problematic internet use/internet addiction/gaming disorder, with a focus on the reporting of prevalence and change.

Methods:

Longitudinal studies of PIU/IA formed the basis for a scoping review. Systematic searches of Web of Science, Scopus and Proquest, for peer-reviewed and published articles based on empirical data collected at a minimum of two time points for studies, and with an end point set at 2017, led to the inclusion of 97 studies. Endnote X7 was used to organise the results and NVivo 11 was used for synthesising the results.

Results:

Analyses focused on prevalence and change. Findings show variation among measures and prevalence as well as in reported outcomes relating to social life and other problems. Most studies reported relations between PIU/IA and other problems in life, but no specific time order could be established. Furthermore, many studies did not present data on prevalence or change even though using a longitudinal survey design.

Discussion and conclusions:

In summary, the research field is plagued by a lack of consensus and common understanding, regarding both measures, perceptions of the problem, and findings.

The association between Emotional Regulation and Internet Gaming Disorder

PURPOSE

Lack of control over Internet gaming habits may result in negative consequences. This study aimed to evaluate the emotional regulation of adults with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and the association of emotion regulation, depression, and hostility.

METHODS

Advertisements were used to recruit 69 young adults with IGD, 69 sex- and age-matched controls, and 69 sex- and age-matched regular gamers. The diagnosis of IGD was according to diagnostic interviews based on DSM-5 IGD research criteria. Participants completed the Affective Style Questionnaire, the center of epidemiological studies depression scale and the short-form Chinese version of Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory.

RESULTS

In the IGD group, the emotion adjustment score was significantly lower, whereas the scores for depression, and hostility were significantly higher than in the other two groups. In addition, emotion adjustment is the most associated emotion regulation behavior of IGD, followed by emotion concealment. In IGD group, emotion adjustment had a negative correlation with depression and hostility.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrate that emotion adjustment is significantly associated with IGD. The depression and hostility mediated the association. Knowing that emotion adjustment plays a critical role in IGD, future interventions should focus on this subscale of emotion regulation.

The relationship between bullying victimization and depression in adolescents: multiple mediating effects of internet addiction and sleep quality

Various studies have found that bullying victimization is an important factor affecting depression. However, few studies have explored the underlying mechanism of this effect.  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bullying victimization on depression, as well as the mediating roles of internet addiction and sleep quality. The participants were 2022 Chinese junior high school students who completed questionnaires regarding bullying victimization, internet addiction, sleep quality and depression. Correlation analysis indicated that bullying victimization, poor sleep quality, internet addiction, and depression have significant, positive correlations with each other. Hayes' PROCESS macro revealed that internet addiction and sleep quality played multiple mediation roles in the relationship between bullying victimization and depression. These results suggested that effective strategies focusing on improving problematic internet use along with sleep quality may contribute to reducing the negative effect of bullying victimization on depressive symptoms.

Risky cyber behaviors in adolescents with depression: A case control study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy adolescents with regard to cyberbullying, cyber victimization, internet addiction, and digital game addiction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed in Selçuk University Hospital. The study sample consisted of 34 adolescents with MDD and 39 controls without any psychopathology. A socio-demographic data form, the Cyber bullying Scale (CBS), Cyber Victimization Scale (CVS), Cyber bullying Sensibility Scale (CBSS), Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Digital Game Dependence Scale (DGA-7), and Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-Refurbished (RCADS) were administered to all participants.

RESULTS

CBS, CVS, IAS and DGAS-7 scores of the MDD group were significantly higher than those of the control group. The significant differences persisted even after controlling for confounding factors such as age, gender, socio-economic level, and parental educational levels with MANCOVA. A strong positive correlation existed between CBS and CVS scores, and higher IAS scores were associated with higher CBS scores in the MDD group. CBSS scores negatively correlated with DGAS-7 scores in the MDD group.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the cross-sectional design of this study, conclusions about causality remain speculative.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the importance of assessing problems related to the online environment in the presence of depression in adolescents. Our results suggested that evaluating the use of technology with a view to the potential for cyber bullying and cyber victimization as well as internet addiction and addiction to digital games may be necessary as a holistic approach in the follow-up of adolescent depression.

Motivational but not executive dysfunction in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder predicts internet addiction: Evidence from a longitudinal study

This study tested the causal link between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Internet addiction (IA) and investigated motivational and executive dysfunction as explanatory mechanisms in this association. A sample of 682 young adults completed self-report measures both at Time1 and Time2, six-months apart, including 54 ADHD participants diagnosed by the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale and the Continuous Performance Test. According to the performance in four cognitive tasks, ADHD participants were classified into three groups based on the dual pathway model of ADHD: executive dysfunction (ED), motivational dysfunction (MD) and combined dysfunction (CD). Participants' severity of IA symptoms was assessed using the self-report Chen IA Scale. Results indicated that ADHD scores at Time1 predicted IA scores at Time2 but not vice versa. ADHD participants were easier to be IA than controls, while the severity of IA among the three ADHD groups changed differently. The MD and CD groups became more excessively engaged in Internet use over the course of the six-months while the ED group was unchanged. These findings identify ADHD as a potential risk factor for IA and suggest that motivational dysfunction, characterized by an excessive preference for immediate reward over delayed rewards, is a better predictor of IA than executive dysfunction.

Predictors of Spontaneous Remission of Problematic Internet Use in Adolescence: A One-Year Follow-Up Study

Problematic use of the Internet is becoming increasingly important and especially for adolescents, high prevalence rates are reported in many countries. Despite the growing international research activities and the reported prevalence estimates, comparatively very few studies have focused on spontaneous remission and its possible causes. In a risk population of 272 adolescents, we used standardized diagnostic instruments to investigate which socio-demographic and psychosocial characteristics at baseline (at t1) predicted spontaneous remission of problematic Internet use one year later (at t2). The predictors were determined by bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. In the bivariate regressions, we found male gender, higher self-efficacy (t1), a lower level of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (t1), lower depression (t1), lower performance and school anxiety (t1), lower social-interaction anxiety (t1), and lower procrastination (t1) to predict spontaneous remission of problematic Internet use at t2. In the multivariable analysis, a lower level of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (t1) was the sole statistically significant predictor for the remission one year later (t2). For the first time, the high relevance of emotion regulation for spontaneous remission of adolescent problematic Internet use was observed. Based on these findings, emotion regulation could be specifically trained and promoted in future prevention measures.

Persistence in Problematic Internet Use-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Aims: Problematic internet use, internet addiction, and internet gaming disorder all describe a global phenomenon where individuals have trouble limiting their use of internet to such an extent that their use has negative consequences. Past systematic reviews and meta-analyses have focused on estimating prevalence, but there has been no comprehensive research synthesis of the trajectory of the problem. The research objective was to create a pooled estimate of the persistence of problematic internet use. This review included studies using a longitudinal panel data design with a follow-up of at least a year. Studies had to be published before the end of the year 2017, in peer-reviewed academic journals, using English language. Samples from populations in any country were accepted, given they were of acceptable quality. Methods: A literature search was conducted in Web of Science, Pro Quest, and Scopus. Several definitions of problematic internet use were included. Inverse-variance, random-effect meta-analysis was used to estimate weighted summary means of persistence. Attrition and selection bias was investigated using pre-specified tools, and heterogeneity was assessed in subgroup analysis. Results: Nine studies fit the criteria, all using samples from Asian or Western countries. The aggregate estimate for 1-year persistence it was 50% (CI: 40-61%), but results were heterogeneous. Prevalence and persistence estimates were correlated and generally higher in Asian countries. Methodological differences only explain part of the heterogeneity. Conclusion: All included studies found individuals with persistent problems, but the between-studies variation is substantial.

The effect of educational intervention based on BASNEF model for reducing internet addiction among female students: a quasi-experimental study

Background

Adolescents and students are encountered with a challenge so-called “internet Addiction”. This issue affects both their physical and mental health, as well as their academic, social, and family performance. The aim of the current research is to determine the impact of educational intervention. To achieve this aim, BASNEF is utilized to reduce the excessive use of the internet by students.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study was implemented on 120 high school female students in Shahrekord (west of Iran), which were addicted to the internet. Paticipants was randomly divided into two groups of control and intervention. For data collection before and after the intervention, the standard Yang internet Addiction Questionnaire and BASNEF researcher-developed Questionnaire were used. Educational intervention for mothers was conducted in one session (as the most important subjective norm) and for students in two sessions. This method was based on BASNEF construct. Then, data were analyzed using SPSS-20 and chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, independent t-test, and paired t-test.

Results

After the education intervention, the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and enabling factors in the intervention group were significantly different from the control group (p < 0.001). In Post-test assessment, the intervention group revealed a significant decrease, in terms of using the internet (based on the time). (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results of this study revealed that BASNEF and its related constructs was a suitable framework to design the educational interventions in order to reduce the extreme use of internet in students. Applying of this model can be a cognitive and intellectual framework that affects students’ internet use behavior.

Problematic Internet Use and Smoking among Chinese Junior Secondary Students: The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptomatology and Family Support

Background: Internet use is significant public health issue and can be a risk factor for other addictive behaviors, such as smoking. The present study examined the association between problematic Internet use (PIU) (i.e., Internet addiction (IA) and social networking addiction (SNA)) and smoking, and the mediating role of depressive symptomatology and family support played in such associations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5182 junior secondary students (grade 7 and 8) recruited from nine schools using stratified sampling. Results: A total of 3.6% of students had smoked in the past month, and 6.4% of students were identified as IA cases. Adjusted for significant background variables, PIU (ORa = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.48, 2.90 for IA, ORa = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.09, 1.47 for SNA), and probable depression (ORa = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.69) were significant risk factors, while family support (ORa = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.94) was a significant protective factor of smoking. The mediation effects of lower family support and probable depression on the association between score on IA scale and smoking, and the mediation effect of lower family support on the association between score on SNA scale and smoking were significant, while the mediation effect of probable depression on the association between score on SNA scale and smoking was marginally significant. Conclusions: PIU contributed to an increased risk of smoking through depressive symptomatology and decreasing family support among junior school students. Interventions to reduce smoking are warranted; they should seek to reduce problematic Internet use and depressive symptomatology, and promote family support.