Gender differences in the relationship between internet addiction and depression: A cross-lagged study in Chinese adolescents

Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents: joint trajectories and predictors

Objective

Internet addiction and depressive symptoms are common mental health problems in adolescents. Due to the comorbidity of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, their mutual relationship influences their developmental trajectories over time. Thus, this study aimed to identify the joint trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, and examined the individual, family, and school antecedents of these trajectories among Chinese adolescents.

Methods

Using a battery of self-report scales, three waves of data collection were conducted in a Chinese adolescent sample (N = 1,301). The co-developmental trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms were extracted by adopting parallel-process latent class growth modeling (PPLCGM). Multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess predictive factors.

Results

Four unique joint trajectory classes were detected: the Health Group (n = 912, 70.1%), Comorbidity-Worsening Group (n = 85, 6.5%), Asymptomatic-Comorbid Risk Group (n = 148, 11.4%), and Prominent Depressive Symptoms-Remission Group (n = 156, 12.0%). Individual, family, and school factors (e.g., gender, positive youth development, family function, academic performance) significantly predicted the membership in these distinct co-developmental trajectories.

Conclusion

Our findings illustrate that the joint development of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms among adolescents presents a heterogeneous distribution, which could better inform prevention and intervention strategies since each co-developmental trajectory may represent unique experience for adolescents who need targeted treatment. Various individual, family, and school factors are important predictors that play different roles in distinguishing the joint trajectories of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms during this critical developmental transition period.

Parent-adolescent conflict and problematic internet use among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of school climate

BACKGROUND

Problematic Internet use (PIU) may lead adolescents to physical, emotional, social, or functional impairment due to the risky, excessive, or impulsive internet use manner. How do the experiences of adolescents influence them using the internet in a problematic manner? The answer to this question is the key to preventing and intervening PIU of adolescents. To address this question, we focus on the interactions among family (parent-adolescent conflict), school (school climate), and individual factors (PIU, depression), exploring the influence factors of PIU.

METHODS

A moderated mediation model was constructed to explore the relationship between variables. Using a two-wave longitudinal design with a six-month interval between timepoints, this study collected data from 801 Chinese adolescents (411 boys, Mage = 14.68) by questionnaires. Path analysis was employed to test the model and participants' age, sex and baseline were controlled.

RESULTS

Parent-adolescent conflict at Time 1 (T1) was positively related to PIU at Time 2 (T2) in adolescents. Depression at T2 mediated the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. School climate at T2 significantly moderated the mediation effect of depression on the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. Specifically, positive school climate could significantly weaken the negative effect of depression on PIU for adolescents with low level of depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reveals that parent-adolescent conflict leads to PIU in adolescents through depression whilst the school climate moderates the impacts of depression on PIU. This adds further evidence regarding the significance of systematically and consistently incorporating family and school in the alleviating of problem behaviors displayed by teens.

The mediating effect of internet addiction and the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between alexithymia and depression

There is a certain relationship between alexithymia and depression, but further investigation is needed to explore their underlying mechanisms. The aims of this study was to explore the mediating role of internet addiction between alexithymia and depression and the moderating role of physical activity. A total of 594 valid responses were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 18.72 years (SD = 1.09). The sample comprised 250 males (42.09%) and 344 females (57.91%). These responses were utilized for descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and the development of mediation and moderation models. Alexithymia showed positive correlations with depression and internet addiction, and physical activity was negatively correlated with internet addiction and depression. Internet addiction partially mediated the relationship between alexithymia and depression, while physical activity weakened the association between internet addiction and depression, acting as a moderator. Our findings suggest that excessive Internet engagement may mediate the relationship between alexithymia and depression as an emotional regulatory coping strategy, and that physical activity attenuates the predictive effect of Internet addiction on depression.

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.

Gender differences in adverse childhood experiences, resilience and internet addiction among Tunisian students: Exploring the mediation effect

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are a common public health issue with a variety of consequences, including behavioral addiction such as Internet Addiction (IA). Despite widespread recognition of this issue, the underlying mechanisms are not well studied in recent literature. Additionally, studies have indicated gender disparities in the prevalence and manifestation of ACEs and IA. The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of resilience on the link between ACEs and IA among high-school students according to gender in Mahdia city (Tunisia). We conducted a cross-sectional survey for two months (January- February 2020), among 2520 schooled youth in Mahdia city (Tunisia). The Arabic-language edition of the World Health Organisation ACE questionnaire was used. The validated Arabic versions of the Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale and the Internet Addiction Test were the screening tools for resilience and IA. Data were analyzed according to gender. The majority of youth (97.5%) were exposed to at least one ACE with the most prevalent being emotional neglect (83.2%). Exposure to extra-familial ACEs was also high reaching 86.9% with higher rates among boys for all types of social violence. Internet addiction was common among students (50%) with higher prevalence for boys (54.4% vs 47.7%for girls, p = 0.006). Resilience scores were86.43 ± 9.7 for girls vs 85.54 ± 9.79 for boys. The current study showed that resilience mediated the link between ACEs, especially intrafamilial violence, and internet addiction (%mediated = 15.1). According to gender, resilience had a significant mediating role on internet addiction for girls (%mediated = 17) and no significant role for boys. The mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between ACEs and cyberaddiction among schooled adolescents in the region of Mahdia (Tunisia) has been identified.

Profiles and Transitions of Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms among Migrant Children: Predictive Role of Bullying Victimization

Although loneliness and depressive symptoms are particularly prominent among migrant children and often occur simultaneously, little is known about the co-occurring and transitional nature of loneliness and depressive symptoms among migrant children, and the role of bullying victimization on their profiles and transitions. This study examined the profiles and transitions of loneliness and depressive symptoms among migrant children using latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis, as well as how bullying victimization predicted their profile memberships and transitions. A total of 692 migrant children (55.3% males, Mage = 9.41, SD = 0.55, range = 8 to 12 years old at T1) participated in both two waves of the study over six months. The results indicated that low profile (59.2%), moderate profile (22.0%), moderately high profile (14.3%), and high profile (4.5%) were identified at Time 1; low profile (69.4%), predominantly loneliness profile (16.8%), predominantly depressive symptoms profile (6.5%), and high profile (7.3%) were identified at Time 2. Migrant children in at-risk profiles displayed varying degrees of transition. Migrant children experiencing more bullying victimization were more likely to belong or transition to at-risk profiles. The findings highlight the importance of subgroup differences considerations in understanding the co-occurring and transitional nature of loneliness and depressive symptoms, as well as the predictive role of bullying victimization, informing effective strategies for prevention and intervention.

Internet Addiction and Sleep Disorders among Medical Students

Background

Considering the increasing use of the Internet in Iranian society, especially among students, and the importance of sleep quality, the present study investigated the relationship between sleep quality and Internet addiction among medical students in Shiraz.

Methods

In this descriptive-analytical study, the sample included students of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who were selected by a multistage sampling method in 2018. Each faculty was considered to be stratified, and the samples were selected from all strata by simple random sampling. A total of 400 student questionnaires were eligible for analysis. The level of sleep disturbance was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to evaluate Internet addiction. Cronbach's alpha for PSQI and IAT was 0.77 and 0.93, respectively.

Results

109 (%28.9) and 58 (%14.4) of all the people under study were at risk of Internet addiction or poor sleep quality, respectively. The highest percentage of poor sleep quality was in those who were addicted to the Internet (60%), but the lowest percentage was observed in the group without addiction (27%). In addition, there was a significant correlation between Internet addiction and subjective sleep quality (r = 0.191, p = 0.05), sleep latency (r = 0.129, p = 0.01), sleep duration (r = 0.119, p = 0.01), habitual sleep efficiency (r = 0.186, p = 0.05), sleep disturbances (r = 0.169, p = 0.01), use of sleeping medication (r = 0.203, p = 0.05), and daytime dysfunction (r = 0.188, p = 0.05).

Conclusion

These findings help national health officials and planners in Iran to design appropriate and effective interventions to improve students' health and prevent Internet addiction.

Longitudinal network relations between symptoms of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems among Chinese early adolescents

OBJECTIVE

There has been growing evidence of comorbidity between problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems in young people. However, little is known about the directionality and gender differences in these longitudinal relations at the symptoms level in the framework of network theory among youth. This study estimated the longitudinal relations between the symptoms of problematic internet game use, internalizing and externalizing problems, and the gender differences of these relations in Chinese youth using cross-lagged panel network modeling (CLPN).

METHODS

A sample of 1269 Chinese youth (M age = 10.35 years) participated in this study semi-annually at two time points. CLPN analysis was used to calculate the network model of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems to explore bridge symptoms and find transmission pathways between problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems.

RESULTS

The CLPN revealed significant gender differences. For boys, depressed mood, which leads to relationships turning sour in order to play online games, bridges the relations between internalizing symptoms and problematic internet game use. For girls, irritability is the central predictive symptom, causing a range of problems related to problematic internet game use, which can, in turn, lead to fights or feelings of worthlessness. However, the effect sizes for the pathways between problematic internet game use and internalizing/externalizing problems were relatively weak, and the comorbidity between their relations should not be over-interpreted.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings provide new evidence for understanding the directional relationship between the central characteristics of problematic internet game use and internalizing and externalizing problems in boys and girls. Gender-specific interventions targeting the central symptoms of internalizing and externalizing problems and problematic internet game use can help mitigate the vicious cycle of comorbidity among adolescents.

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

Introduction

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

Methods

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

Results

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

Conclusion

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

The reciprocal relationships between meaning in life and smartphone addiction among Chinese college students: evidence from a three-wave cross-lagged panel model

Background

Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that meaning in life (MIL) is closely associated with college students' smartphone addiction (SA), but the causal relationship between MIL and college students' SA is uncertain. Therefore, conducting a longitudinal study to explore their relationship is very necessary. Furthermore, some studies have implied possible gender differences in the relationship between MIL and SA and the relationship between SA and MIL. Therefore, it is necessary to further examine whether there are gender differences in the above relationships.

Methods

The present study constructed a three-wave cross-lag panel model to explore the relationships between MIL and college students' SA. Three waves of data were collected from 705 college students (male: 338; female: 367) in China for three consecutive years, and the interval of data collection was 1 year. These college students completed the same online questionnaire regarding MIL and SA.

Results

(1) The MIL of male college students was significantly stronger than that of female college students at time 1, time 2, and time 3, (2) Female college students' SA at time 1, time 2, and time 3 was more serious than that of male college students, (3) There were reciprocal relationships between MIL and college students' SA, (4) The influence of MIL on female college students' SA was significantly stronger than that of male college students, and (5) The influence of SA on female college students' MIL was significantly stronger than that of male college students.

Conclusion

This study showed reciprocal relationships between MIL and SA among male college students and female college students. The findings further deepen our understanding of the relationship between MIL and SA and provide a gender perspective for preventing or intervening with college students' SA.

Longitudinal associations among smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms in college students: Disentangling between- And within-person associations

BACKGROUND

Smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms are two prevalent and highly correlated problems among college students worldwide. However, the causal relationships and potential mechanisms (e.g., loneliness) between them remain controversial. Thus, the present study investigated the dynamic longitudinal relations between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms including loneliness as a possible mediator in Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 3,827 college students (52.8% males, 47.2% females; M_age = 18.87 years, SD = 1.48) participated in a four-wave longitudinal study across two years, and the interval between waves was 6 months except for the second and the third wave (12 months). Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale-8 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to assess participants' smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) were utilized to separate between- and within-person effects.

RESULTS

The results of RI-CLPM demonstrated a bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms (from T₃ to T₄), and loneliness (T₃) mediated the association between smartphone addiction (T₂) and depressive symptoms (T₄) at the within-person level (indirect effect = 0.008, 95%CI = 0.002-0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Given that loneliness served as a mediator in the relation between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms, enhancing offline interpersonal communication may hold great promise for alleviating negative emotions and reducing the dependence on online communication.

Associations Between Peer Victimization and Problematic Internet Use Among Adolescents: Humor Makes a Difference

With the increasing development of science and technology, the Internet has become an essential part of people's daily lives providing great convenience. However, the Internet also leads to problematic Internet use (PIU) among adolescents, which has attracted increasing attention from the academic community. Peer victimization is a pervasive stressor among adolescents and has been proven to lead to a series of mental health challenges. Although the association between peer victimization and PIU has been well documented, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to understand how and when peer victimization increases the risk of PIU among adolescents. Building on Agnew's general strain theory, this study hypothesized that depression mediates the relationship between peer victimization and PIU and humor moderates the mediating model. To examine these hypotheses, 469 middle school students were recruited to complete a series of questionnaires on peer victimization, depression, humor, and PIU. The results showed that depression partially mediated the relationship between peer victimization and PIU. A moderated mediation analysis indicated that humor moderated the indirect pathway, consistent with the reverse stress-buffering model, the relationship between peer victimization and depression was stronger for adolescents with high humor. However, the relationship between depression and PIU was weaker in adolescents with high humor, which is in line with the stress-buffering model. These findings could be of significance in understanding the underlying mechanism of PIU associated with peer victimization and provide a new perspective for preventing PIU among adolescents, especially those experiencing peer victimization. The limitations and considerations for future research are discussed.

Internet addiction and residual depressive symptoms among clinically stable adolescents with major psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: a network analysis perspective

To assess the inter-relationships between residual depressive symptoms (RDS) and Internet addiction (IA) using network analysis among clinically stable adolescents with major psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. RDS and IA were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), respectively. Central symptoms and bridge symptoms in the network model were examined. A total of 1,454 adolescents met the study criteria and were included in the analyses. The prevalence of IA was 31.2% (95% CI: 28.8%-33.6%). In the network analysis, the nodes IAT15 ("Preoccupation with the Internet"), PHQ2 ("Sad mood"), and PHQ1 ("Anhedonia") were the most central symptoms in the IA-RDS network model. Bridge symptoms included IAT10 ("Sooth disturbing about your Internet use"), PHQ9 ("Suicide ideation"), and IAT3 ("Prefer the excitement online to the time with others"). Additionally, PHQ2 ("Sad mood") was the main node linking "Anhedonia" to other IA clusters. Internet addiction was common among clinically stable adolescents with major psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Core and bridge symptoms identified in this study could be prioritized as targets for the prevention and treatment of IA in this population.

The association of childhood maltreatment with Internet addiction: the serial mediating effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies and depression

OBJECTIVES

Childhood maltreatment, cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERSs), and depression can be important in adolescents' Internet addiction. The current study aims to investigate the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on Internet addiction and its indirect effects via CERSs and depression.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

4091 adolescents (age M = 13.64, SD = 1.59; 48.9 % males) were recruited from a public school in China.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional design, participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-Short version (CERQ-Short), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). A latent structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, childhood maltreatment was directly associated with adolescents' Internet addiction (β = 0.12, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the serial mediating effect via maladaptive CERSs and depression was 0.02 (95 % CI [0.01, 0.04]), and via adaptive CERSs and depression was 0.001 (95 % CI [0.0004, 0.002]), demonstrating significant serial mediating role of CERSs and depression in this relationship. No gender difference was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that maladaptive CERSs and depression can be potential mechanisms relating childhood maltreatment to adolescents' Internet addiction, while adaptive CERSs can be a less influential factor for reducing Internet addiction.

Effects of emotional working memory training on problematic internet use, inhibition, attention, and working memory among young problematic internet users: A randomized control study

Problematic internet use (PIU) has been defined as an inability to control impulses to use the internet, and is associated with psychological, social, educational, and/or occupational problems. Considering the harmful effects of PIU, the present study evaluated a treatment intervention aimed at controlling PIU. A randomized control study investigated the effectiveness of emotional working memory training (eWMT) in improving inhibition, attention, and working memory among individuals with PIU in comparison with a placebo group. Young adults (N = 36) with PIU were either trained for 20 sessions in an n-back dual emotional task (eWMT; n = 18) or a feature matching task (placebo; n = 18). Results showed that 20 continuous sessions of eWMT significantly reduced the symptoms of PIU and improved participants' working memory, attention, and inhibition (compared to the placebo group). These preliminary findings suggest that eWMT can be considered a promising treatment to reduce PIU by improving individuals' cognitive and emotional functioning.

The relationship between anxiety and internet gaming disorder in children during COVID-19 lockdown: a network analysis

Background

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a social problem in children. Evidence from previous studies has proven that anxiety is associated with IGD. However, IGD was always assessed as a whole based on total scores, and the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD was hidden.

Objective

The present study aims to investigate the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD in elementary school students during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to identify potential targets for psychological interventions.

Methods

During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 667 children from a primary school in China were investigated by the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Short Version and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. R4.1.1 software was used to construct a network model, assess bridge centrality, and test the robustness of the network and conduct a network.

Results

There were 23 cross-community edges (weight ranged from -0.03 to 0.12), and each node of anxiety was connected to different nodes of IGD. The nodes with the top 80th percentile bridge expected influence were A2 "social phobia" (0.20), A3 "panic disorder" (0.21) and IGD5 "escape" (0.22). The robustness of the network was acceptable.

Conclusion

From the perspective of network analysis, the present study explored the correlation pathways between anxiety and IGD in children and identified social phobia and panic disorder as the best targets for intervention to reduce IGD.

Depression mediates the relationship of experiential avoidance and internet addiction: a cross-lagged mediation analysis

Previous research has identified the contemporaneous association between experiential avoidance, depression, and Internet addiction. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are not well acknowledged. The present study aimed to use cross-lagged panel modeling to examine whether depression mediates the relation between experiential avoidance and Internet addiction and whether gender plays a role in the relation. A total of 2731 participants (934 male, Meanage=18.03) were recruited from a university at the baseline study (December 2019). Data was collected at all 3 time points across one year (2019?2020), using 6-month intervals. Experiential avoidance, depression and Internet addiction were assessed using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) questionnaire, and Young?s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), respectively. Cross-lagged panel models were used to evaluate the longitudinal association and the mediating effect. Multigroup analyses were conducted to examine gender differences in the models.Cross-lagged models indicated that experiential avoidance significantly predicted subsequent depression, and depression significantly predicted subsequent Internet addiction. Furthermore, mediation analyses showed that depression has a mediating effect in the relation between experiential avoidance and Internet addiction (? = 0.010, 95%CI[0.003, 0.018], p>0.001). Multigroup analyses demonstrated that the pattern of structural relations stayed consistent across gender. The findings indicated that experiential avoidance is indirectly related to Internet addiction through depression, suggesting that treatments targeted at reducing experiential avoidance could help relieve depression and thus decrease the risk of Internet addiction.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04511-6.

Gender differences in symptom structure of adolescent problematic internet use: A network analysis

BACKGROUND

Gender differences in problematic Internet use (PIU) have long been discussed. However, whether and how female and male adolescents differ in central symptoms and symptom associations are not fully understood.

METHODS

As a national survey in the Chinese mainland, 4884 adolescents (51.6% females; M_age = 13.83 ± 2.41) participated in the present study. This study applies network analysis to identify central symptoms of PIU networks in female and male adolescents and compares whether and how global and local connectivity of PIU networks differ by gender.

RESULTS

Female and male network structures of PIU were different and global strength was stronger in males than females, indicating a higher risk of chronicity of PIU among male adolescents. Specifically, "Reluctant to turn off Internet" exerted the largest effect on both genders. "Increase time online to achieve satisfaction" and "Feel depressed once not online for a while" were particularly critical to female and male adolescents, respectively. Moreover, females scored higher centralities in social withdrawal symptoms and males did so in interpersonal conflicts owing to PIU.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide novel insights into gender differential risks and features of adolescent PIU. Differences in the core symptoms of PIU suggest that gender-specific interventions focusing on core symptoms might effectively relieve PIU and maximize treatment effects.

A cross-national validation of the Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire (ISAAQ)

Problematic usage of the internet (PUI) is of increasing concern in a digitalized world. While several screening tools have been developed to assess PUI, few have had their psychometric properties evaluated, and existing scales are also not typically designed to quantify both the severity of PUI and the nature of diverse problematic online activities. The Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire (ISAAQ), consisting of a severity scale (ISAAQ Part A) and an online activities scale (ISAAQ part B) was previously developed to address these limitations. This study undertook psychometric validation of ISAAQ Part A using data from three countries. The optimal one-factor structure of ISAAQ Part A was determined in a large dataset from South Africa, then validated against datasets from the United Kingdom and United States. The scale had high Cronbach's alpha (≥0.9 in each country). A working operational cut-off point was determined to distinguish between those with some degree of problematic use and those without (ISAAQ Part A), and insight was given into the types of potentially problematic activities that may encompass PUI (ISAAQ Part B).

Morningness-Eveningness and Problematic Online Activities

Online activities and problematic online behaviors have recently emerged as important research topics. However, only a few studies have explored the possible associations between these behaviors and morningness-eveningness. The authors examined whether eveningness predicts these distinct problematic online behaviors differently and directly or via mediators. The associations between eveningness and three different problematic online behaviors (problematic Internet use, problematic online gaming, and problematic social media use) were explored among a large sample of Hungarian young adults (N = 1729, 57.2% female, Mage = 22.01, SDage = 1.97) by using a self-report survey. Depression and the time spent engaging in online activities were assessed as possible mediators. The effects of age and sex were controlled for. Using structural equation modeling, the results supported the association between eveningness and the higher risk for all three problematic online behaviors and highlighted that these associations were mediated by depressive mood and time spent on the activities. In addition, eveningness also predicted PIU directly. Eveningness is a risk factor for problematic online behaviors not only because of the higher amount of time spent on the activities but also because of the worse mood associated with eveningness. The results highlight that it is important to examine the different types of online activity separately and explore the role of diverse risk factors, among them morningness-eveningness.

A comprehensive review on emerging trends in the dynamic evolution of digital addiction and depression

Introduction

Using digital addiction as an umbrella term to cover any type of addictions to digital technologies such as the internet, smartphones, social media, or video games, the current study aimed to reveal the intellectual structure and evolution of research addressing digital addiction-depression relationship.

Methods

The study combined bibliometric and science mapping analysis methods for this purpose. Data for the study was gathered from Web of Science Core Collection after a comprehensive process of data search/extraction, and 241 articles were included in the final data set. A period-based, comparative science mapping analysis was performed using the SciMAT software.

Results

The analysis of data over three periods, Period 1 (1983-2016), Period 2 (2017-2019), and Period 3 (2020-2022) showed that internet addiction was the most significant theme across all three periods, which was followed by social media addiction. Depression, which emerged as a significant theme during Period 1, was later covered under anxiety disorder theme. Research interest was mostly on factors related to both addiction and depression such as cognitive distortion, insomnia, loneliness, self-esteem, social support, alexithymia, as well as cybervictimization or academic performance.

Discussion

The results suggested that much research is warranted on the digital addiction-depression relationship in different age cohorts, especially children and elderly. Similarly, the current analysis showed that this line of research particularly focused on internet, gaming and social media addiction, and evidence with regard to other types of digital addiction or related compulsive behaviors was almost absent. In addition, research was mostly inclined to understanding cause-effect relationships, which is significant, but preventive strategies seemed to be barely addressed. Likewise, the smartphone addiction-depression relationship arguably garnered less research interest, so future research would contribute to the field in this respect.

Problematic social media use, digital gaming addiction and excessive screen time among Turkish adolescents during remote schooling: implications on mental and academic well-being

Objective: The present study aimed to describe screen use patterns among Turkish adolescents during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic with a special emphasis on social media and digital gaming addiction, and explore how these are linked to adolescents’ mental and academic well-being. Materials and Method: The study sample consisted of 9th to 12th grade students from three public high-schools in Istanbul, Turkey (n=201). Participants were required to complete a comprehensive questionnaire which gathered information about various domains including problematic screen use, attitudes towards online education, and mental/academic well-being during the lockdown period. Results: The overall screen time exhibited a significant increase during the lockdown, with the most common discretionary screen activities being social media use, communication, and watching movies/series (p

Associations Between Problematic Internet Use and Mental Health Outcomes of Students: A Meta-analytic Review

The increasing prevalence of problematic internet use has heightened concerns about its adverse impact on internet users' mental health. Despite reviews investigating the associations between problematic internet use and mental health outcomes, there is a lack of understanding of various aspects of students' mental health. This study aimed to bridge this gap by providing a more comprehensive overall picture of this issue through a quantitative synthesis based on three-level random-effects meta-analytic models. In total, 223 studies with a cumulative total of 498,167 participants and 512 effect sizes were included in this synthesis. The results showed that problematic internet use was moderately and positively associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, and other mental health outcomes, and negatively related to subjective well-being. Moderator analyses revealed that several study features (i.e., school grade, region, measure of problematic internet use, publication year, and gender) could explain the variations in the findings across individual studies. These research results provide solid evidence for the link between problematic internet use and different mental health outcomes and have implications for future research and interventions on students' problematic internet use.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40894-022-00201-9.

A bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among college students: A cross-lagged panel model

Background

Smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with adverse consequences, especially for freshmen. Evidence indicates that SA is associated with depression, and it is necessary to conduct a longitudinal study to explore the association further.

Methods

SA (measured by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version) and depression (measured by the Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale) among 1,186 freshmen were surveyed at baseline and a respective 12-month follow-up for each participant. The application of a cross-lagged panel model approach (CLPM) revealed an association between SA and depression after adjusting for demographic variables.

Results

The CLPM results showed a significant path from baseline SA to follow-up depression (β = 0.08, P < 0.001) and a significant path from baseline depression to follow-up SA (β = 0.08, P < 0.001). Compared with the overall cross-lagged model, the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline SA to follow-up depression increased in the female group (β = 0.10, P = 0.015), and the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline depression to follow-up SA also increased significantly (β = 0.15, P < 0.001). In contrast, the cross-lagged model in the male group showed no predictive effect between SA and depression (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The current study showed a significant bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among freshmen, but only in the female population.

Anxiety predicts internet addiction, which predicts depression among male college students: A cross-lagged comparison by sex

Objectives

Internet addiction has become an increasingly serious public health issue, putting young people at particular risk of psychological harm. This study aimed to analyze the interactions between college students' depression, anxiety, and Internet addiction and explore how these interactions differ between men and women.

Methods

A 6-month follow-up study was conducted on 234 college students using the Self-Rating Depression Scale, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale.

Results

Depression, anxiety, and Internet addiction were positively correlated (p < 0.01). Anxiety can predict Internet addiction and that Internet addiction can predict depression. Moreover, anxiety had a significant predictive effect on Internet addiction among men.

Conclusion

Anxiety predicts Internet addiction, and Internet addiction predicts depression among male college students. These findings may better inform future Internet addiction intervention strategies. Particularly, interventions may better address Internet addiction by focusing on the role of anxiety, especially among men.

Relationship between behavioral inhibition/activation system and Internet addiction among Chinese college students: The mediating effects of intolerance of uncertainty and self-control and gender differences

Background

Internet addiction is a global public health issue among college students that is associated with a range of negative outcomes. Especially the COVID-19 pandemic has forced them to shift most of their studies and life activities from offline to online, leading to a growing problem of Internet dependence and even Internet addiction. Although previous studies have indicated that the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System (BIS/BAS) have important effects on college students' Internet addiction, the mechanisms underlying these associations and gender differences are still unclear.

Aims

The present study investigated the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and self-control in the association between BIS/BAS and Internet addiction following the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model. Gender differences in such associations between variables were also tested.

Method

A total of 747 Chinese college students were surveyed by using Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction, BIS/BAS Scales, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale and the Brief Self-Control Scale.

Results

The results from the structural equation modeling analysis showed that BIS was positively related to Internet addiction and that BAS had a negative association with Internet addiction. Moreover, intolerance of uncertainty and self-control mediated the relationships between BIS/BAS and Internet addiction. Multi-group analysis further revealed that the associations between BAS and Internet addiction and between intolerance of uncertainty and Internet addiction were stronger among the male students than among female students. The relationship between self-control and Internet addiction was greater in the female sample than in the male sample.

Conclusions

These findings extend our understanding of how BIS/BAS influence Internet addiction among college students and suggest that not only should training approaches based on intolerance of uncertainty and self-control be fully considered, but different intervention programs should be focused on gender sensitivity to maximize the intervention effect.

The influence of internet use frequency, family atmosphere, and academic performance on adolescent depression: Based on the chain mediating effect of self-adjustment and campus deviant behavior

Introduction

Depression has become a prominent psychological problem among young people. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential relationship between the frequency of Internet use, family atmosphere, academic performance, self-adjustment, campus deviant behavior, and depressive symptoms among adolescents.

Methods

Based on the survey data of the fifth wave (2017~2018) and the sixth wave (2019~2020) of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study used LISREL8.8 software to analyze 1,577 10~15 data on adolescents.

Results

In this study, the mean score of self-adjustment was 42.40 (SD = 6.79), the mean score of campus deviant behavior was 12.59 (SD = 4.00), the mean score of depressive symptoms in 2018 was 11.88 (SD = 3.04), and the mean score of depressive symptoms in 2020 was 7.64 (SD = 2.20). Secondly, the frequency of Internet use had no direct effect on the depressive symptoms of adolescents, family atmosphere was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.005), and academic performance was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.005). Depressive symptoms in 2020 had a direct effect (β = 0.37, p < 0.001), and also had a negative effect on depressive symptoms in 2020, with a total effect of-0.07 (p < 0.001); self-adjustment had no direct effect on depressive symptoms in adolescents in 2018, However, the total effect was -0.14 (p < 0.001), which had a significant positive effect on 2020 depressive symptoms, and the total effect was 0.18 (p < 0.001), and self-adjustment had a significant negative effect on adolescent campus deviant behavior (β = -0.38, p < 0.001); in addition, the frequency of Internet use, family atmosphere, and academic performance all had indirect effects on adolescents' 2020 depressive symptoms, with total effects of -0.60, 0.01, and 0.02 (p < 0.001), respectively. This study also found depressive symptoms in adolescents have a certain persistence in time.

Discussion

Based on this study, it is necessary to pay more attention to the depression of adolescents, strengthen the training of self-adjustment, improve the anti-frustration ability and psychological resilience, and reduce the campus deviant behavior of adolescents. It is recommended to try to start from emotional self-adjustment to promote the personality health of adolescents.

Gender differences in the prevalence and impact factors of adolescent dissociative symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between the prevalence and impact factors of adolescent dissociative symptoms (ADSs) by using sex-stratification during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A school-based, two-center cross-sectional study was conducted in Hangzhou City, China, between January 1, 2021 and April 30, 2022. The sample included 1,916 adolescents aged 13-18 years that were randomly selected using a multiphase, stratified, cluster sampling technique. A two-stage assessment procedure was used to find out the ADSs. We used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the impact factors of ADSs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The adolescent dissociative scores (t = 4.88, P < 0.001) and positive ADSs rate (Chi-square = 15.76, P < 0.001) in males were higher than in females. Gender-stratified, stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the conflict relationship of teacher-student [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.10], family expressiveness (AOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.98), family conflict (AOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.27), family organization (AOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99), and family cohesion (AOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.99) were linked to ADSs only in males, while individual psychological states of somatic complaint (AOR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08) and paranoid ideation (AOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.19) were associated with female ADSs only. The ADSs seemed to be prevalent in Hangzhou City, studied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gender differences in the prevalence and impact factors of dissociative symptoms seem to be significant among adolescents. Thus, gender-specific intervention programs against ADSs should be considered as reducing this risk.

The relationship between positive youth development and internet gaming disorder in Chinese adolescents: A moderated mediation model

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a social problem that cannot be ignored. Considerable research has shown that IGD can impede the healthy physical and mental development of adolescents. Based on positive youth development theory and stage-environment fit theory, the current study explored the mediating effect of depression and the moderating effect of gender to determine the association between positive youth development (PYD) and IGD. A sample of 1970 Chinese adolescents aged 11-18 years (1021 boys, 940 girls, and 10 unidentifiable individuals) completed questionnaires related to PYD, depression, IGD, and their background information. The results revealed that PYD negatively predicted IGD. After controlling for gender and age, this study found that depression mediated the relationship between PYD and IGD. Furthermore, gender moderated the relationship between depression and IGD. Boys with depressive symptoms were more likely to indulge in IGD than girls. This research contributes to a more thorough understanding of how PYD decreases the risk of IGD. These findings suggest that cultivating PYD attributes is a promising approach to prevent or reduce depression and IGD among adolescents in mainland China.

Changes in the comorbidity patterns of negative emotional symptoms and Internet addiction over time among the first-year senior high school students: A one-year longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and Internet addiction (IA) has been widely documented. However, changes and instability of the comorbidity between negative emotional symptoms and IA over time are not fully understood.

METHODS

A sample of 453 first-year senior high school students completed all measures three times across one-year period and were included in the current study. The sample consisted of 163 (36.0%) males and 290 (64.0%) females. At the baseline, the mean age of the participants was 15.07 ± 0.46 (range: 12-16) years old. Latent class analysis was used to identify the latent class pattern. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was utilized to examine the association between covariates and latent classes at baseline. Latent transition analysis was applied to explore the changes in latent classes of individuals over time.

RESULTS

Three subgroups of negative emotional symptoms, IA and their comorbidity were identified at all the three time points. Being Internet gamers, high average time of Internet use every day, peer exclusion, verbal and physical bullying experience, and poor self-rated health were found to be significant predictors of the high comorbidity symptom. Students were more likely to remain the same class rather than moving between the latent classes across time.

CONCLUSIONS

A better understanding of change characteristics in latent classes across time contributes to confirm an appropriate time for intervention targeted on students who converted from low symptom class to the high class.

Gender differences in psychiatric comorbidity and personality characteristics among adults seeking treatment for problematic internet use

In the present study, we investigated gender differences in personality and psychiatric correlates among adults (N = 115) seeking treatment for problematic internet use (PIU) at a specialized clinic in São Paulo, Brazil. All participants were assessed at the beginning of their treatment for co-occurring psychiatric conditions, other addictive behaviors, and personality characteristics. Women (n = 20) were more likely to present with greater rates of psychiatric comorbidity compared to men (n = 95), including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bulimia nervosa. Women also had a greater severity of certain behavioral addictions, such as compulsive buying and disordered eating. Gender differences were also found across personality characteristics, with women scoring higher on impulsivity, novelty seeking, and self-transcendence compared to men. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate gender differences for PIU in a clinical sample. The results suggest that there are notable gender differences in individuals seeking treatment for PIU which underscores the importance of assessing for co-occurring conditions, especially in women. Understanding the characteristics associated with PIU can help serve to inform the most appropriate interventions to bolster treatment outcomes.

Hierarchical Linear Model of Internet Addiction and Associated Risk Factors in Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study

The risk effects of internet addiction have been documented in the literature; however, few longitudinal studies have considered the heterogeneity of the subjects. A hierarchical linear model was used here to explore the relationship between adolescents' internet addiction and associated risk factors (depression, anxiety, gender, and obesity) from the perspective of longitudinal analysis. A total of 1033 adolescents were investigated and followed up with every three months with the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The hierarchical linear model of internet addiction had only two levels. The first level of the model was the time variable (three time points) and the second level of the model was the individual adolescent (1033 adolescents). The results showed that (1) depression and anxiety, as associated risk factors, were significant positive predictors of adolescents' internet addiction considering the developmental trajectory courses of adolescent internet addiction, as well as the individual differences over time; (2) there were gender differences in the adolescents' internet addictions-specifically, the initial level of internet addiction among boys was significantly higher than that of girls, but the rate of decline was significantly faster than that of girls; and (3) there was no significant difference in obesity. The results demonstrated the importance of considering depression, anxiety, and gender in any intervention efforts to reduce adolescents' internet addictions, and we should pay attention to the cultivation of positive coping strategies for Chinese adolescents. The limitations of the study were also discussed.

Examining the predictors of university students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments

Purpose

Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated components that affect students' online teaching and learning process. In this context, university students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments, the relationship among them and students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles as their predictors are examined in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a relational study and is carried out with 179 university students. Personal information form, student's engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction scales were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis are used for the analysis.

Findings

According to the results, variables related to students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles together significantly predict the students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments. When students think positively about taking courses online, their engagement increases accordingly and their fear of missing out levels decrease. Increase in student's academic achievement leads to decline in Internet addiction.

Practical implications

In practice, examining the related variables about students in terms of engagement to the learning environment, fear of missing out and Internet addiction could bring a new perspective to studies on problematic use of the Internet and technology such as nomophobia and digital distraction. The results of this study reveal how and which components to be focused on for increasing the university students' engagement, reducing Internet addiction and fear of missing out in online learning environments.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide a versatile perspective with the variables of student participation, fear of missing out, Internet addiction and their predictors in online learning environments, which are becoming widespread and increasingly important today and shed light on future researches.

The addiction behavior of short-form video app TikTok: The information quality and system quality perspective

TikTok has one of the most advanced algorithm systems and is the most addictive as compared to other social media platforms. While research on social media addiction is abundant, we know much less about how the TikTok information system environment affects users' internal states of enjoyment, concentration, and time distortion (which scholars define as the flow experience), which in turn influences their addiction behavior. To fill this gap, this study collects responses from 659 adolescents in China aged between 10 and 19 years old, and the data is then analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS). We find that the system quality has a stronger influence than information quality in determining adolescents' experience with TikTok and that the flow experience has significant direct and indirect effects on TikTok addiction behavior. Notably, this study finds that TikTok addiction is determined by users' mental concentration on the medium and its content. Several theoretical insights from the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model and the flow theory are used to explain the findings.

Social media use and mental health in young adults of Greece: A cross-sectional study

Background

Social media use has vastly increased during the past few years, especially among young adults. Studies examining the relationship of social media use with mental health have yielded mixed findings. Additionally, such studies are extremely limited in Greece. The present study aimed to investigate the association between social media use, depressive symptoms and self-esteem among Greek young adults.

Method

A total of 654 individuals (50.5% male) aged 18-30 years (Μ = 23.62, SD = 2.71) completed self-reported questionnaires regarding social media use, depressive symptoms and self-esteem.

Results

Increased daily use of YouTube (more than five hours) showed a significant association with higher depressive symptomatology, b = 2.99, 95% CI [.78, 5.20], p = .008, while daily use of Facebook between two and five hours was related to significantly higher self-esteem, b = 1.61, 95% CI [.78, 2.44], p < .001, after adjusting for participants’ gender, age, educational level and employment status. The association of increased daily use of YouTube with depressive symptoms was more pronounced in males than in females. Moreover, self-reported active use of Facebook and Instagram were linked with significantly lower depressive symptoms and higher self-esteem compared to passive involvement.

Conclusion

The results suggest that social media use is closely related to self-esteem and depressive symptomatology in young adults. These findings may contribute to a deeper clinical understanding of the association between electronic social networking and mental health.

Increased daily time spent in YouTube (more than five hours) was significantly associated with higher depressive symptomatology.

YouTube daily use of more than five hours showed a stronger association with depressive symptoms for males than for females.

Daily use of Facebook between two and five hours was related to significantly higher self-esteem.

Self-reported active use of Facebook and Instagram were linked with significantly lower depressive symptoms and higher self-esteem compared to passive involvement.

Which dimensions of forgiveness mediate and moderate childhood trauma and depression? Insights to prevent suicide risk among university students

Background

College students who are depressed as a direct or indirect effect of childhood trauma are at risk of suicide. Although for-giveness buffers mental health problems, there are inconsistencies in the results according to the object of forgiveness. This study aimed to examine the role of forgiveness, both as a mediator and as a moderator, for the association between childhood trauma and depression among university students.

Participants and procedure

The sample comprised 398 students from a university in Semarang, Indonesia (M = 18.60, SD = 0.60, male = 26.1%) ob-tained through cluster random sampling. Measurements used were the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) question-naire, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Forgiveness Scale which contained the dimensions of self, others, and situations.

Results

The path analysis and the investigation of CI result showed that forgiveness mediated the relationship between ACEs and depression. Forgiveness of self and situations were also mediating, but not forgiveness of others. On the other hand, the moderating effect only applied to the forgiveness of others, the effect of which increased positively when the level was high.

Conclusions

The result of this study indicates how the addition of ACEs affects lower level of forgiveness, thus explaining the higher level of depression among college students. Only forgiveness of others among the dimensions of forgiveness is not deter-mined by the number of ACEs, but its increase determines the addition of depression level when there are more ACEs. The discussions highlight the mechanism of each dimension, contribution of collectivistic culture, different types of ACEs and limited incidence of ACEs among the general college student population.

Effects of Short Video Addiction on the Motivation and Well-Being of Chinese Vocational College Students

While media use can be beneficial in some ways, excessive use of media has led to growing concerns about its potential negative consequences. With the popularity of Chinese video applications (apps) such as DouYin, TikTok, Kwai, and other short video apps sweeping through schools around the world. Due to the diversity and immersion principle of short videos, their popularity continues to grow, and the phenomenon of students being addicted to short videos also brings many hidden dangers to the learning effect. Among other things, the problem of excessive use of the Internet among Chinese youth has led the government to propose a series of control policies to strengthen the monitoring of harmful habits of youth in the use of online applications. In addition, the problem of youth addiction to short videos has become a major concern for education experts and the general public, thus demonstrating that short video addiction is indeed an ongoing research issue. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the causes of short-form video addiction and its impact on the psychology of learning, and to investigate the relationship between short-form video flow experience, short-form video addiction, intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation, and learning well-being from the perspectives of flow experience theory and micro ecological systems. The questionnaire was sent via instant messaging software such as QQ and WeChat, and university students from vocational colleges in China were invited to complete the questionnaire. A total of 517 valid data were collected, including 222 (42.9%) were male students and 295 (57.1%) were female students. The collected questionnaires were analyzed for reliability and validity after removing incomplete data, followed by structural equation modeling for model verification. The findings showed that: (1) short video flow experience had a positive effect on short video addiction; (2) short video addiction had a negative effect on intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation; (3) intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation had a positive effect on learning well-being; (4) short video flow experience had an indirect negative effect on intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation; (5) short video flow and short video addiction had indirect negative effects on learning well-being. According to the results, it is clear that addiction to short videos has a negative impact on learners' learning motivation and positive psychology of learning, so parents and teachers should effectively guide students to use short video apps in a self-controlled way.

Time Spent on Social Media and Risk of Depression in Adolescents: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Adolescent depression is a worldwide public health concern and has contributed to significant socioeconomic burden. Investigating the association between time spent on social media (TSSM) and depression may provide guidance toward the prevention and intervention of adolescent depression. However, related literature reported mixed findings in terms of the relationship between TSSM and depression in adolescents. Hence, we conducted a comprehensive dose−response meta-analysis to clarify this issue. We conducted a systematic title/abstract and topic search of the relative terms in Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO databases through 9 January 2022. Odd ratios (ORs) were used to examine the pooled effect size of the association between TSSM and risk of depression. Dose−response analysis was evaluated by a generalized least squares trend estimation. Twenty-one cross-sectional studies and five longitudinal studies including a total of 55,340 participants were included. Overall, more TSSM was significantly associated with a higher risk of depression symptoms (OR = 1.60, 95%CI: 1.45 to 1.75) with high heterogeneity (Q(29) = 105.9, p < 0.001; I2 = 72.6%). The association was stronger for adolescent girls (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.41 to 2.09) than boys (OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.05 to 1.37). Five studies with seven reports were included in dose−response analysis. There was a linear dose−response association of TSSM and risk of depression. The risk of depression increased by 13% (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.09 to 1.17, p < 0.001) for each hour increase in social media use in adolescents. TSSM is associated with depression in a linear dose−response and gender-specific manner, which suggests the need for better monitoring of adolescent social media use. However, motivation, content, and engagement on and exposure to social media use may also be important contributing factors, making it necessary to interpret the current findings with caution. Therefore, further research is required to clarify not only the causal link between TSSM and depression by randomized control studies but also the influence of other factors, such as active vs. passive social media use or different types of engagement or environments in which social media is used.

After-School Extracurricular Activities Participation and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Early Adolescents: Moderating Effect of Gender and Family Economic Status

Although Western studies showed that participation in extracurricular activities was intimately linked to adolescents’ psychological adjustment, very few studies have addressed this issue among early adolescents in China. Based on a nationally representative sample of 9672 Chinese junior high school students (M_age = 14.54 years, SD = 0.70 years), this study investigated the relationship between participation in different extracurricular activities and depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents, and the moderating role of gender and family economic status. Results indicated that time spent completing homework, attending extracurricular tutoring, and playing online games after school was positively related to students’ depressive symptoms, whereas time spent on participating in physical exercise was negatively associated with students’ depressive symptoms. Besides, the relationships between after-school activities participation and student depressive symptoms were moderated by gender and family economic status. The theoretical and practical implications for the arrangement of after-school activities for Chinese early adolescents are discussed.

Antecedents and consequences of internet addiction among school and college students: evidence from India

Purpose

Internet addiction (IA) has become a global health problem. As the research on IA has progressed, this study aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of IA, particularly in the Indian context. A conceptual model was developed, and hypotheses were formulated based on the conceptual model and the hypotheses were tested.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated 752 schools and collected students from the southern part of India. First, psychometric properties of the survey instrument were tested, and hierarchical regression was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed that time spent on the internet every day is positively related to IA, internet experience in terms of years is positively related to IA, income and gender moderates the relationship between time spent every day on the internet and internet experience and IA and IA is positively related to time spent on networking, video streaming, short video apps, educational apps, chat apps, online shopping apps, money-involved apps, etc.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this study are essential for the school and college students and their parents. As IA has become chronic in the present-day digital world, it is necessary to take rectification measures to avoid facing the perils of IA. The conceptual model provides a simple framework of explaining how young students spend their time on the internet to become addicted gradually. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of controlling the younger generation's behavior, particularly regarding internet use.

Originality/value

This study is unique and innovative to the extent that it explores the antecedents of IA and the moderating role of gender and income in the relationship between the time spent on the internet and the IA. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, developing a conceptual model is the first of its kind to study school and college students in India.

Internet Addiction and Its Associated Factors Among African High School and University Students: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction

Internet addiction is characterized by excessive and uncontrolled use of the internet affecting everyday life. Adolescents are the primary risk group for internet addiction. Data on internet addiction is lacking in Africa. Thus, this review aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of internet addiction and its associated factors among high school and university students in Africa.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of science, Hinari, and Google scholar) to locate potential studies. Heterogeneity between studies was checked using Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test statistics and small-study effects were checked using Egger's statistical test at a 5% significance level. A sensitivity analysis was performed. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of internet addiction among students. The primary outcome of measure of this review was the prevalence of internet addiction and the secondary outcome of measures are the factors associated with internet addiction.

Results

A total of 5,562 studies were identified among the five databases. Of these, 28 studies from 10 countries with 14,946 high school and university students were included in this review. The overall pooled prevalence of internet addiction among the students was 34.53% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 26.83, 42.23, I2 = 99.20%]. Male sex [Pooled Odds Ratio (POR) = 1.92, 95% CI:1.43, 2.57 I2 = 0.00], urban residence (POR = 2.32, 95% CI:1.19, 4.53, I2 = 59.39%), and duration of daily internet use for more than 4 h (POR = 2.25, 95% CI:1.20, 4.21, I2 = 0.00%, were significantly associated with internet addiction among adolescents.

Conclusion

Almost one-third of university and high school students in Africa are addicted to the internet. Male students, those from urban areas, and those who use the internet for more than 4 h per day have higher odds of internet addiction. Thus, we recommend that health planners and policymakers pay attention to the use of the internet and internet addiction in Africa.

Participation in After-School Extracurricular Activities and Cognitive Ability Among Early Adolescents in China: Moderating Effects of Gender and Family Economic Status

Although theories and research suggest that participation in extracurricular activities plays an important role in adolescents' cognitive development, few studies have addressed this issue among early adolescents in China. Based on the responses of 9,830 Chinese junior high school students (M age = 14.54 years, SD = 0.70 years), we investigated the relationships between different types of extracurricular activities and cognitive ability among junior high school students and the moderating effects of gender and family economic status. Using multi-level multiple regression analyses, results indicated that while time spent completing homework and physical exercise was positively associated with students' cognitive ability, time spent on extracurricular tutoring, interest classes, watching TV, and surfing online and playing games was negatively related to students' cognitive ability. The observed relationships were also moderated by gender and family economic status. Specifically, time spent on completing homework had a stronger positive relationship with boys' cognitive ability, whereas time spent attending extracurricular tutoring on weekdays had a stronger negative relationship with girls' cognitive ability, and time spent on physical exercise was more strongly related to girls' cognitive ability in a positive manner. Besides, time spent attending interest classes on weekdays had a stronger negative relationship with cognitive ability among students from wealthy families, and time spent watching TV and physical exercise had stronger negative and positive effects on the cognitive ability among students from economically disadvantaged families, respectively. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings regarding the role of extra-curricular activities on adolescent development are discussed.