The effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy on general self-efficacy, self-control, and internet addiction prevalence among medical university students

Network modeling of problematic social media use components in college student social media users

Background

While the constitutive features of problematic social media use (PSMU) have been formulated, there has been a lack of studies in the field examining the structure of relationships among PSMU components.

Method

This study employed network analytic methods to investigate the connectivity among PSMU components in a large sample of 1,136 college student social media users (M age = 19.69, SD = 1.60). Components of PSMU were assessed by the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) derived from a components model of addiction. We computed two types of network models, Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) to examine network structure and influential nodes and directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to identify the probabilistic dependencies among components.

Result

Relapse component consistently emerged as a central node in the GGMs and as a parent node of other components in the DAGs. Relapse and tolerance components exhibited strong mutual connections and were linked to the most vital edges within the networks. Additionally, conflict and mood modification nodes occupied more central positions within the PSMU network for the low-BSMAS-score subgroup compared with the high-BSMAS-score subgroup.

Conclusion

Our findings shed new light on the complex architecture of PSMU and its potential implications for tailored interventions to relieve PSMU.

Effectiveness of sports intervention: A meta-analysis of the effects of different interventions on adolescent internet addiction

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effects of different interventions on adolescent internet addiction, a meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed to determine the possible intervention effects of these interventions.

METHODS

Computer searches of the China National Knowledge Network, Wanfang, VIP, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases were performed. The relevant randomized controlled trials were designed to assess the effects of interventions on adolescent internet addiction. The retrieval period ranged from the establishment of the database to January 31, 2024. Literature screening, data extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out independently by two researchers. CMA 3.3, Stata 17.0 software and Review Manager 5.3 were used for the data analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 89 studies with 6876 samples were included. A traditional meta-analysis of 51 single interventions and controlled studies revealed that sports intervention, cognitive behavior therapy, family therapy, mindfulness intervention, attention bias training and group counseling significantly improved adolescent Internet addiction [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -1.75, 95 % CI (-2.07, -1.44), p < 0.01; I2 = 94 %] compared to no-treatment groups. A network meta-analysis showed that combined intervention (Sucra = 93.5) had the highest probability of being the best intervention for adolescent Internet addiction, and acupuncture interventions showed the most promise as a single intervention modality; however, due to the limited number of studies, we believe that sports intervention could be the most appropriate single intervention.

DISCUSSION

The evidence provided by existing studies shows that compared with other single interventions, combined interventions have the greatest effect on adolescent IA, and sports may be the best single intervention. However, because of the limitations of sample size and quality of individual studies, the strength of the evidence still needs to be further verified by additional standardized and high-quality studies.

Latent Profiles and Transitions of Bedtime Procrastination Among Chinese College Students: The Predictive Roles of Anxiety, Depression, Problematic Smartphone Use and Self-Control

Background

Bedtime procrastination (BP) has become an important factor affecting individual well-being. This study aimed to assess the stability and changes in BP and examine risk and protective factors.

Methods

The study recruited 1423 respondents. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of BP and latent transition analysis to determine transition probabilities for each subgroup. Logistic regression examined associations between identified classes and related factors.

Results

Three subgroups of BP were identified. In terms of stability and changes, the moderate bedtime procrastination group showed the highest stability (66%), followed by the severe bedtime procrastination group (62.4%), and the mild bedtime procrastination group had a 52% probability of switching to moderate bedtime procrastination. In terms of influencing factors, more problematic phone use (PSU) (OR: 1.08; 95% CI = 1.05-1.12), more depression (OR: 1.17; 95% CI = 1.06-1.29) and anxiety (OR: 1.16; 95% CI = 1.05-1.28) are all factors that aggravate the transition from mild to moderate sleep procrastination. Similarly, PSU (OR: 1.15; 95% CI = 1.12-1.19), anxiety (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14), and depression (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14) increased the risk of severe bedtime procrastination. Self-control emerged as a protective factor against BP.

Conclusion

This study identified three subgroups of BP at two time points and the rule of transition for each subgroup. Our findings indicate that BP were relatively stable, with some changes over time. The results also highlight the important function that PSU, depression, anxiety, and self-control can play in preventing and intervening in BP.

Effectiveness of a web-based group intervention for internet addiction in university students

The phenomenon of Internet addiction has been systematically addressed with numerous studies highlighting its association with deficits in self-regulation. Despite the extensive literature elucidating the adverse effects of Internet addiction on university students, the availability of relevant interventions has remained constrained. The current study aimed at evaluating a web-based, group intervention, which aimed to prevent Internet addiction and enhance self-regulation. The sample consisted of 47 undergraduate and postgraduate university students (Ν = 47, Mage=21, SD = 3), who were divided into an intervention (n = 24) and a control group (n = 23). The participants were asked to complete a) the Internet Addiction Test (Young, 1998), and b) the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (Brown et al., 1999), prior to the commencement of the intervention, after its conclusion, and one and a half months after the intervention. The web-based intervention consisted of 6 sessions, over a two-week period. Results indicated an improvement of self-regulation and Internet addiction levels for the intervention group, compared to the control group. These results were maintained at the one and a half months follow-up. Implications for designing and implementing web-based group interventions for Internet addiction are discussed.

Stress and Internet Addiction: Mediated by Anxiety and Moderated by Self-Control

Background

The link between stress and Internet addiction (IA) has been confirmed. However, the mechanism underlying the correlation is poorly understood. Thus, the current study proposed a moderated mediation model to test the mediating role of anxiety and the moderating role of self-control (SC) in the link between stress and IA.

Methods

Eight hundred and sixty-one Chinese college students (M_age = 20.62 years; SD = 1.58; male = 47.7%) were required to complete an online questionnaire package, including a depression-anxiety-stress scale, a self-control scale, and an Internet addiction test. The PROCESS macro developed based on SPSS was used to test the moderated mediation model.

Results

When controlling for gender and age, the results revealed that anxiety partially mediated the link between stress and IA. Specifically, the more stressed college students are, the higher their anxiety level is, and the more likely they are to become addicted to the Internet. Additionally, the direct and indirect links between stress and IA were all moderated by SC. SC buffered the effect of stress on anxiety and anxiety on IA but enhanced stress on IA.

Conclusion

These findings emphasized the predictor role of stress on IA and provided insights on intervening in college students' excessive Internet use behaviors for educators, such as reducing anxiety levels and improving self-control abilities.

The associations between smartphone addiction and self-esteem, self-control, and social support among Chinese adolescents: A meta-analysis

Background

Smartphone addiction has become a social problem that affects the healthy growth of adolescents, and it is frequently reported to be correlated with self-esteem, self-control, and social support among adolescents.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted by searching the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG DATA, and Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP) databases. Stata 16.0 was used to analyse the overall effect and test the moderating effect.

Results

Fifty-six studies were included, involving a total of 42,300 participants. Adolescents' smartphone addiction had a moderately negative correlation with self-esteem (r = -0.25, 95% CI = -0.29 to -0.22, p < 0.001), a strong negative correlation with self-control (r = -0.48, 95% CI = -0.53 to -0.42, p < 0.001), and a weak negative correlation with social support (r = -0.16, 95% CI = -0.23 to -0.09, p < 0.001). Moderation analysis revealed that the correlation between adolescents' smartphone addiction and self-esteem was strongest when smartphone addiction was measured with the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale for College Students (MPATS; r = -0.38). The correlation between adolescents' smartphone addiction and self-control was strongest when self-control was measured with the Middle school students' Self-control Ability Questionnaire (MSAQ; r = -0.62). The effect of dissertations on smartphone addiction, self-control, and social support among adolescents was significantly larger than that of journal articles. The correlation between adolescents' smartphone addiction and social support was strongest when smartphone addiction was measured with the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI; r = -0.24). However, the correlations between adolescents' smartphone addiction and self-esteem, self-control, and social support were not affected by age or gender.

Conclusion

There was a strong relationship between smartphone addiction and self-esteem, self-control, and social support among adolescents. In the future, longitudinal research should be carried out to better investigate the dynamic changes in therelationship between smartphone addiction and self-esteem, self-control, and social support.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42022300061.

The effect of a social network-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms: a protocol of a randomized clinical trial study

BACKGROUND

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most widespread menstrual disorders in women of reproductive age. This recurrent syndrome is a combination of physically, mentally, or behaviorally disturbing changes occurring during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based educational intervention using social networks on PMS in female health center employees in Rudbar, Iran.

METHODS/DESIGN

A randomized superiority controlled trial will be conducted involving 140 female employees of health centers affiliated with the Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rudbar. The study involves a block size of 4 and 6 in a randomly varied order, 140 women who meet all the inclusion criteria will be randomly and equally divided into 2 groups: the intervention and the control groups. Those in the former group will receive a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based treatment for eight consecutive weeks on the social network platform WhatsApp; however, those in the control group will not be offered any treatment except usual care practices (unprotocolized usual care). The study's primary outcome is the severity of PMS symptoms, and the secondary outcomes include general self-efficacy, work-related quality of life, the impact of PMS on daily life, coping with the symptoms, and experiencing anxiety and depression at the beginning of the study to identify people with PMS. A daily record of the symptoms will be completed for two consecutive months by all female employees aged 20-45 years who wish to participate in the study. According to the initial screening, those with moderate to severe PMS will be included. We will use the MLwin software for the analyses. All questionnaires will be completed by both groups immediately and 8 weeks after the termination of the treatment. The data will be analyzed using linear mixed-effects modeling with random intercepts and slopes.

DISCUSSION

It is anticipated that the findings of the present study may demonstrate the effectiveness of the cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on the severity of PMS symptoms that could guide healthcare providers in opting for suitable treatment alternatives for the syndrome.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The research proposal is approved by the Human Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (IR.QUMS.REC.1399.252). The results of this intervention trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed research journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20180218038789N4 . Registered prospectively on October 28, 2020.

Smartphone addiction and depression, anxiety: The role of bedtime procrastination and self-control

BACKGROUND

Owing to the widespread use of smartphones, researchers have an increasing interest in smartphone addiction. The purpose of this study is to look into the outcomes of smartphone addiction while answering when and how smartphone addiction may predict university students' depression and anxiety.

METHODS

Primary data were collected from 355 students studying in different universities in China. Participants completed Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS), Self-control Scale (SCS) and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS). PROCESS macros in SPSS24.0 were used to examine the moderated mediating effects.

RESULTS

Smartphone addiction Scale scores were positively correlated with depression, anxiety among university students through bedtime procrastination. Self-control was found to play the moderating role such that the mediated relationships were weak for students with high self-control.

LIMITATIONS

This study is a cross sectional study, so we cannot make causal inferences.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with smartphone addiction are inclined to postpone their bedtime and further experience more depression and anxiety. Self-control serves as a protective factor for bedtime procrastination, depression and anxiety.

Mindfulness for Sustainable Internet Use in Chinese Junior Secondary School Students: A Dual-Path Mediation Model

Mindfulness training can reduce Internet addiction and promote sustainable development, but the possible mediators of this impact have not been thoroughly explored. This study explored the mediating roles of self-control and maladaptive cognitions in the association between mindfulness and Internet addiction to fill this gap. Altogether, 771 Chinese adolescents (M = 13.87 years, SD = 0.78 years) were surveyed about their mindfulness, self-control, maladaptive cognitions, and Internet addiction. The confirmed model presented a good model fit and revealed that (i) mindfulness, self-control, maladaptive cognitions, and Internet addiction were significantly correlated; (ii) mindfulness had indirect negative effects on Internet addiction, mediated by self-control; (iii) mindfulness had an indirect negative impact on Internet addiction, mediated by the path of self-control to maladaptive cognitions; and (iv) this dual-path mediation model might apply to male and female adolescents. The results of the present study suggest that both self-control and maladaptive cognitions are key factors in the association between mindfulness and Internet addiction.