Symptom relationships between internet addiction and anxiety across primary and middle school students during the Omicron lockdown

Longitudinal Network Associations Between Symptoms of Problematic Gaming and Generalized and Social Anxiety Among Adolescents

Problematic gaming has emerged as a significant problem among adolescents today, yet there is still an ongoing debate over the validity and relevance of its diagnostic criteria. Some critical steps have been recommended, including examining the structure of problematic gaming and exploring its comorbidity with generalized and social anxiety. To address these research aims, this study used network analysis, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, to identify the most central symptoms of problematic gaming and elucidate the mechanisms underlying its co-occurrence with generalized and social anxiety in adolescents. A sample of 1893 Chinese adolescents (52.85% boys, 47.15% girls; Mage = 15.42 years, SD = 0.52) participated in a two-wave longitudinal study with a 12-month interval. The findings showed that giving up other activities, loss of control, tolerance, and continuation were the most central problematic gaming symptoms for both waves, as revealed by cross-sectional analyses. Moreover, the social anxiety symptom of social avoidance and distress-general was the most prominent in bridging different constructs across cross-sectional and longitudinal networks. The longitudinal findings further revealed that the generalized anxiety symptom of restlessness was closely connected to problematic gaming symptoms, indicating its influential role as a harmful mechanism underlying problematic gaming. Our results underscore the necessity to reconsider the criteria of problematic gaming. In addition, the symptoms of social avoidance and distress-general and restlessness can be prioritized as targets for preventing and treating problematic gaming in adolescents.

Depressive symptoms changes in the new-onset stroke patients: A cross-lagged panel network analysis

BACKGROUND

Each year, there are approximately 10.3 million new stroke cases worldwide, with 2 million occurring in China. Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common complication that negatively affects rehabilitation outcomes and increases long-term mortality.

OBJECTIVE

This study used network analysis to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal networks between depressive symptoms in new-onset stroke patients with PSD, aiming to identify the key symptoms and predictive relationships among distinct symptoms during the acute phase and 6 months after the stroke.

METHODS

This longitudinal descriptive study collected data from October 2022 to December 2023, including eligible new-onset stroke patients. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D scale, and network analysis was used to analyze the interactions between symptoms.

RESULTS

613 participants completed the data collection. The study found that D3 (Felt sadness) emerged as the central depressive symptom at both baseline and follow-up (EI value = 1.215 and 1.168, respectively). In the longitudinal network analysis, D7 (Sleep quality) displayed the strongest out-Expected Influence (value = 1.728), while D4 (Everything was an effort) showed the strongest in-Expected Influence (value = 1.322).

LIMITATIONS

The self-report measure is adopted for all depressive symptoms in the study, and there may be some deviation.

CONCLUSION

These symptom-level associations at cross-sectional and longitudinal networks extend our understanding of PSD symptoms in new-onset stroke patients by pointing to specific key depressive symptoms that may aggravate PSD. Recognizing these symptoms is imperative for the development of targeted interventions and treatments aimed at addressing PSD in new-onset stroke patients.

Gender differences in the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and suicide risk among psychiatric outpatient adolescents: the role of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disturbances

Background

Suicide has become one of the leading causes of death among adolescents, with an increased risk observed in the psychiatric outpatient population. Therefore, exploring its risk factors is crucial. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms, being common in this patient group, warrant investigation into their impact mechanisms on suicide risk.

Methods

This study enrolled 526 outpatient adolescents [396 females (75.29%); Mage = 15.39, SD = 1.23] who completed relevant questionnaires and provided demographic data during their clinic visit.

Results

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms positively predicted suicide risk in both males and females, with depressive symptoms mediating this effect. Sleep disturbances played a mediating role only in females, while anxiety symptoms did not mediate the relationship in either gender.

Conclusion

Clinicians should pay closer attention to adolescents presenting with obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms, as well as female adolescents with sleep disturbances, to mitigate their elevated suicide risk.

Identifying Internet addiction profiles among adolescents using latent profile analysis: Relations to aggression, depression, and anxiety

BACKGROUND

While many studies have established a positive correlation between adolescents' internet addiction and mental health problems, most of these studies have overlooked the internal heterogeneity of Internet addiction. This study aims to identify latent profiles among adolescents based on their Internet addiction and to examine the differences in aggression, depression, and anxiety across these profiles.

METHODS

We conducted a survey involving 7422 adolescents and administered the Young's Internet Addiction Test, Aggression Behavior Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale. Latent profile analysis was utilized to categorize Internet addiction profiles among adolescents. Associations between Internet addiction profiles and related factors were examined using the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars method.

RESULTS

Latent profile analysis suggested four profiles of Internet addiction, which were labeled: Regular, Risk, Low Internet addiction, and Internet addiction. The Internet addiction profile showed higher levels of aggression, depression, and anxiety than the Low Internet addiction profile. The Low Internet addiction profile had higher levels of aggression, depression, and anxiety than the Risk profile. The Risk profile demonstrated higher levels of aggression, depression, and anxiety when compared to the Regular profile.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the self-report measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified Internet addiction profiles offer differential predictions for aggression, depression, and anxiety. These results underscore the significance of employing latent profile analysis when exploring the associations between Internet addiction and mental health issues.

Internet addiction and suicidal ideation in Chinese children with migrant parents: Mediating role of anxiety and moderating role of social support

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of internet addiction among Chinese left-behind children, coupled with its potential to exacerbate anxiety and suicidal ideation, has become a critical issue. This study seeks to address the dearth of research on the psychological underpinnings of this phenomenon, particularly the mediating role of anxiety and the moderating effect of social support across different parental migration statuses. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted interventions and informing policy decisions.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, we administered Young's Internet Addiction Test, alongside scales for anxiety, social support, and suicidal ideation, to 2882 middle school students in China with diverse parental migration backgrounds. Utilizing an online survey approach, we ensured broad participation and participant anonymity. Advanced statistical analyses, including regression models for mediation and moderation effects, were employed to rigorously test our hypotheses.

RESULTS

Among all participants, a significant positive correlation was observed between Internet addiction and suicidal ideation. Anxiety mediated the relationship between Internet addiction and suicidal ideation across all groups, including those with mother-only migration (Effect = 0.383, 95%CI: 0.107,0.943), father-only migration (Effect = 0.806, 95%CI: 0.487-1.230), both-parent migration(Effect = 0.289, 95%CI: 0.105-0.521), and non-left-behind children (Effect = 0.469, 95%CI: 0.342-0.630). Particularly in families where only the mother was absent, the moderating role of social support was especially prominent (B = 1.174, t = 6.446, p < 0.001 for low social support), underscoring the importance of family structure in the context of Internet addiction.

CONCLUSION

Internet addiction has both direct and indirect effects on suicidal ideation, with anxiety playing a mediating role in the indirect effects. Social support moderates and alleviates the relationship between Internet addiction and anxiety specifically in the mother-only migration group. Therefore, clarifying these relationships helps in developing and implementing effective interventions to specifically improve the mental health and living conditions of left-behind children.

Interaction between posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth among adolescents who experience an earthquake: A repeated longitudinal study

For adolescents who experience an earthquake, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) often co-occur. However, no study has yet examined how the interaction between them changes from the short term to the long term after an earthquake. This study conducted six surveys among local adolescents across three waves after the Wenchuan earthquake, and a directed network of PTSS and PTG co-occurrence was constructed for each wave. It was found that the bridge nodes between PTSSs and PTG were different for each wave. The connection between PTSSs and PTG became loose over time. The incubation effect of PTSSs on PTG was sustained until the middle term but was not observed in the long term. The suppression effect of PTSSs on PTG was only observed in the short term. PTG not only alleviated PTSSs but also exacerbated PTSSs. Finally, the effect of PTSSs on PTG was much stronger than that of PTG on PTSSs. This study suggests that efforts should be made to alleviate specific PTSSs or facilitate specific PTG elements among adolescents for different terms after an earthquake, and PTG is more likely to be an outcome of trauma rather than a strategy for coping with trauma.

Investigating links between Internet literacy, Internet use, and Internet addiction among Chinese youth and adolescents in the digital age

Introduction

In current digital era, adolescents' Internet use has increased exponentially, with the Internet playing a more and more important role in their education and entertainment. However, due to the ongoing cognitive, emotion, and social development processes, youth and adolescents are more vulnerable to Internet addiction. Attention has been paid to the increased use of Internet during the COVID-19 pandemic and the influence of Internet literacy in prevention and intervention of Internet addiction.

Methods

The present study proposes a conceptual model to investigate the links between Internet literacy, Internet use of different purpose and duration, and Internet addiction among Chinese youth and adolescents. In this study, N = 2,276 adolescents studying in primary and secondary schools in East China were recruited, and they completed self-reports on sociodemographic characteristics, Internet literacy scale, Internet use, and Internet addiction scale.

Results

The results showed a significant relationship between Internet use and Internet addiction. To be specific, the duration of Internet use significantly and positively affected Internet addiction. With different dimensions of Internet literacy required, entertainment-oriented Internet use had positive impact on Internet addiction, while education-oriented Internet use exerted negative effects on Internet addiction. As for Internet literacy, knowledge and skills for Internet (positively) and Internet self-management (negatively) significantly influenced the likelihood of Internet addiction.

Discussion

The findings suggest that Internet overuse increases the risk of Internet addiction in youth and adolescents, while entertainment-oriented rather than education-oriented Internet use is addictive. The role of Internet literacy is complicated, with critical Internet literacy preventing the development of Internet addiction among youth and adolescents, while functional Internet literacy increasing the risk.