Social support and Internet addiction among mainland Chinese teenagers and young adults: A meta-analysis

Online social support and problematic Internet Use-a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The internet is a crucial platform for individuals to gain social support, enhancing their well-being. However, research indicated that while online social support (OSS) has positive aspects, it also carries potential drawbacks and can lead to problematic Internet use (PIU). This study aims to examine the complex relationship between OSS and PIU.

METHODS

Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed across five English and three Chinese databases. A total of 1966 articles were initially screened by title, followed by abstract, and finally, full text. And the random-effects model was used to synthesize the included 31 studies.

RESULTS

31 studies were identified, encompassing a total sample of 22,375 participants. Meta-analysis revealed a moderate and significant correlation between OSS and PIU (r = 0.293), and it was significantly moderated by gender and the measurement methods of PIU. Notably, the relationship was more pronounced in studies with a higher proportion of female participants; when PIU was measured by problematic social media use, the relationship with OSS was stronger than studies that measured PIU by general problematic Internet use or problematic mobile phone use.

CONCLUSION

These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the association between OSS and PIU, and carry implications for identifying and addressing the potential risks associated with social support provision in the digital realm.

The association between digital addiction and interpersonal relationships: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Digital addiction (DA) has been identified as an emerging public health problem worldwide. However, the extent and direction of the association between DA and interpersonal relationships (IRs) are unknown. Does DA have adverse effects on IRs, and how credible is the evidence for this association in published analyses of real-world data? Using the PRISMA method, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize the results of the relevant studies and obtain reliable effect size estimates and performed an analysis of moderating factors. A systematic literature search identified 98 studies involving 134,593 participants and 99 effect sizes. A significant negative association was observed between DA and IRs. Importantly, our meta-analysis revealed that the DA subtype has no significant moderating effect on IRs, suggesting that combining numerous categories of DA rather than focusing on specific forms of DA may be appropriate for understanding the relationship between DA and IRs. Relative to the IR subtype, the association between DA and offline relationships is significant and negative, whereas the association between DA and online relationships is significant and positive. The strength of the relationship is also influenced by the participants' sex ratio, educational level, and measurement tools. These results may help resolve the disagreement over the magnitude and direction of the association between DA and IRs and have potential implications for the treatment of DA.

Supervisor's neuroticism and problematic Internet use among graduate students: the mediating role of supervisor-student relationship quality and the moderating role of fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation

BACKGROUND

Graduate students exhibit vulnerability to problematic Internet use, which can result in adverse physical, psychological, and social consequences. However, limited studies have addressed this issue among graduate students, and even fewer have explored the unique factors contributing to their problematic Internet use. Therefore, to address this gap, the current study aims to probe the relationship between supervisor's neuroticism and problematic Internet use among graduate students, the mediating effect of the supervisor-student relationship quality, as well as the moderating effect of fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 at three universities in Beijing, China. Anonymous data from 448 graduate students were collected regarding problematic Internet use, supervisor's neuroticism, supervisor-student relationship quality, and the fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. A moderated mediation analysis was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 14).

RESULTS

Supervisor's neuroticism was positively linked to graduate students' problematic Internet use, supervisor-student relationship quality mediated the linkage, and fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation played a moderating role in the second stage. Specifically, for students lower in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation, supervisor-student relationship quality negatively predicted students' problematic Internet use. While for the graduate students higher in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation, supervisor-student relationship quality could not significantly predict students' problematic Internet use. The mediating effect was only significant for graduate students lower in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study established a theoretical model linking supervisor's neuroticism to graduate students' problematic Internet use, highlighting the potential roles of supervisor-student relationship quality and fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. Reducing the neuroticism level of the supervisor, enhancing the quality of the supervisor-student relationship, and mitigating students' fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation will contribute to the reduction of problematic Internet use among graduate students.

The Associations Between Social Support and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Three-level Meta-analysis

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between social support and problematic mobile phone use among adolescents, yet a definitive consensus remains elusive. The high prevalence of problematic mobile phone use among children and adolescents requires urgent clarity on this issue. However, previous meta-analyses on this topic have primarily focused on college students, overlooking this association in younger age groups. The present study thus concentrated on children and adolescents, conducting a three-level meta-analysis to combine existing research findings and analyze various moderators to identify sources of research heterogeneity. A systematic literature search retrieved a total of 33 studies with 135 effect sizes for this meta-analysis, and 25,537 students (53.83% female, age range 7-19, grades range 3rd-12th) were included. The results showed a negative correlation (r = -0.139) between social support and problematic mobile phone use in children and adolescents. Age, social support measurement, sources of social support, and symptoms of problematic mobile phone use were found to have a significant moderating influence. Specifically, social support showed a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use in older adolescents compared to their younger counterparts. The correlation was more pronounced when using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support than other scales. Family support exhibited a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use compared to other sources of support. Among the symptoms of problematic mobile phone use, the inability to control craving has the strongest negative correlation with social support. This meta-analysis suggested that providing more social support, particularly in the form of family support, during the development of children and adolescents may help alleviate problematic mobile phone use.

A mixed methods experience sampling study of a posttraumatic growth model for addiction recovery

Problematic substance use and addiction is a growing crisis in the United States. As a result, identifying factors that effectively promote addiction recovery is, currently, of particular societal importance. Informed by evidence that-while addiction can be perpetuated by stress-related impulsivity and decreased self-regulation-perceived social support is protective against addiction, we test a model for addiction recovery as a form of posttraumatic growth (PTG), focused specifically on close relationships and personal strength-two domains of PTG. In an initial study, we found that perceived social support and impulsivity predicted number of relapses in individuals in a substance use disorder recovery program. Using experience sampling, we then observed that experiencing a stressful event predicted impulsive behavior. However, experiencing closeness with others-a domain of PTG-was directly associated with perceived social support, and both predicted positive emotional states, which were, in turn, inversely associated with experiencing a stressful event. Further, when experiencing a stressful event, personal strength-also a domain of PTG-was inversely associated with impulsive behavior and was predicted by both perceived social support and positive emotional states. Finally, in a follow-up experiment, we found that an ecological momentary intervention targeting perceived social support decreased impulsivity and increased self-regulation-an aspect of personal strength-in a dose-dependent fashion. Taken together, our findings: (1) support a PTG model for recovery; (2) provide evidence for processes by which close supportive relationships are protective against addiction and relapse; and (3) indicate that self-regulation is responsive to a short in-the-moment perceived social support intervention. We suggest that these findings support the theory that addiction is a social disease in the sense that close personal interactions and supportive relationships: (a) buffer against stress-related impulsivity, thereby protecting against addiction and relapse; and (b) increase personal strength, thereby decreasing the probability of impulsive-including addictive-behavior and promoting recovery.

Digital Technology Use and Adolescent Mental Health Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Internet Addiction and Digital Competence

This study examined whether Internet addiction (IA) and digital competence (DC) mediated the association between digital technology use and mental health problems in adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital device use increased dramatically. Repeated cross-sectional data from a 3-year cross-cohort study adopting stratified random sampling were analyzed. In 2019, 569 adolescents (female = 312) from 14 secondary schools completed a DC assessment and an online survey on their digital technology use, IA, and mental health. In 2021, 775 adolescents (female = 397) from 11 of those 14 schools completed both instruments. Results showed that adolescents in 2021 spent more time using digital devices, were more digitally competent, and reported more mental health problems than adolescents in 2019. The prevalence of IA was 8 percent in 2019 and 12.4 percent in 2021. In both years, more frequent digital technology use predicted a higher risk of IA, which was associated with more mental health problems (indirect β = 0.08, p < 0.001 for 2019 and β = 0.05, p < 0.001 for 2021). In addition, in 2021, DC was positively associated with digital technology use and negatively with IA, which indirectly related to fewer mental health problems (indirect β = -0.01, p = 0.03). In conclusion, DC is a protective factor alleviating the positive associations of digital technology use and IA with mental health problems in adolescents when the ecological context requires high levels of digital device use.

Childhood trauma and problematic internet use: A meta-analysis based on students in mainland China

Background

In recent years, the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use has been widely studied by scholars, but the research conclusions on the relationship between them are not consistent. Some studies report that childhood trauma and problematic Internet use are significantly correlated. However, others believe that there is a weak correlation between them. So the relationship between them needs to be studied further. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use, and the effects of some moderating variables on both for students in Mainland China.

Methods

This study followed the requirements of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement for literature screening. We searched the related studies on childhood trauma and problematic Internet use in Mainland China from January 2009 to November 2022 from CNKI, Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP), Baidu scholar, ProQuest dissertations, SAGE Online Journals, Elsevier SDOL, Taylor &amp; Francis, Springer, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Medline, Scopus Database, PubMed Central, Embase, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CMA 3.0 was used to analyse the overall effect and test the moderating effect.

Results

Among the papers included in the meta-analysis in this study, 31 papers reflected the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use, involving 52,503 subjects, and the sample size ranged from 388 to 16,130. This relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use can be considered as a moderate correlation (r = 0.281, 95%CI[0.221, 0.338], p &lt; 0.001). The results showed that the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was affected by different problematic Internet use measures. Meanwhile, meta-regression demonstrated that the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was moderated by survey’s year. Specifically, the correlation coefficient between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use also increases with increasing year. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was not affected by the region, grade, childhood trauma measures, publication source.

Conclusion

Childhood trauma is closely related to problematic Internet use. In order to reduce problematic Internet use, corresponding prevention and intervention measures should be taken.

The relationship between social support and Internet addiction among Chinese college freshmen: A mediated moderation model

Purpose

Internet addiction has become a worldwide mental health problem, and this problem is particularly prominent in China. Although current studies have shown that social support is closely related to Internet addiction, the mechanism of the relationship between the two is not clear at present. This study aimed to find out the influencing factors and the mechanism of Internet addiction among college freshmen, and to form scientific prevention and intervention plan on this basis.

Method

This study adopts the cluster sampling method to select 322 college freshmen in a typical postsecondary school in Shandong Province, using Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and Network-related Maladaptive Cognition Scale (NRMCS) to investigate the relationship between social support, network-related maladaptive cognition, gender, and the degree of Internet addiction.

Results

The findings of this study are as follows: (1) After controlling age and family location, social support had a significant negative predictive effect on Internet addiction; (2) Gender acted as a moderator between the relationship of social support and Internet addiction; and (3) Additionally, the moderating effect of gender was completely mediated by network-related maladaptive cognition.

Conclusion

There is a mediated moderating effect between social support and Internet addiction. That is, gender plays a moderating role between social support and Internet addiction, and this moderating effect is mediated by network maladaptive cognition.

The relationship between social support and Internet addiction among Chinese college freshmen: A mediated moderation model

Purpose

Internet addiction has become a worldwide mental health problem, and this problem is particularly prominent in China. Although current studies have shown that social support is closely related to Internet addiction, the mechanism of the relationship between the two is not clear at present. This study aimed to find out the influencing factors and the mechanism of Internet addiction among college freshmen, and to form scientific prevention and intervention plan on this basis.

Method

This study adopts the cluster sampling method to select 322 college freshmen in a typical postsecondary school in Shandong Province, using Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and Network-related Maladaptive Cognition Scale (NRMCS) to investigate the relationship between social support, network-related maladaptive cognition, gender, and the degree of Internet addiction.

Results

The findings of this study are as follows: (1) After controlling age and family location, social support had a significant negative predictive effect on Internet addiction; (2) Gender acted as a moderator between the relationship of social support and Internet addiction; and (3) Additionally, the moderating effect of gender was completely mediated by network-related maladaptive cognition.

Conclusion

There is a mediated moderating effect between social support and Internet addiction. That is, gender plays a moderating role between social support and Internet addiction, and this moderating effect is mediated by network maladaptive cognition.

U.S. adolescents' attitudes toward school, social connection, media use, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences as a function of gender identity and school context

The COVID-19 pandemic changed school contexts and social opportunities dramatically for adolescents around the world. Thus, certain adolescents may have been more susceptible to the stress of the pandemic as a function of differences in schooling. We present data from 1256 United States adolescents (ages 14-16) to examine how the 2020-2021 school context (in-person, hybrid, or virtual) related to feelings of school satisfaction and success, social connection, mental health, and media use. We also examine differences as a function of gender identity. Results demonstrate that school context, particularly in-person compared to virtual schooling, was related to higher school satisfaction and academic success, stronger feelings of social connection and inclusion, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and less problematic media use. Interestingly, adolescents did seem to use media as a tool to support social connection when in hybrid or virtual school contexts, but they also reported higher rates of problematic media use, thus suggesting that media use needs to be examined more carefully to understand its role as a potential protective mechanism for adolescents' social connection and mental health. These findings provide baseline information about how schools' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic may have created disparities among youth. These findings have implications for current school interventions.

The More Internet Access, the More Mental Symptoms Students Got, the More Problematic Internet Use They Suffered: a Meta-analysis of Mainland Chinese Adolescents and Young Adults

The traditional view is that mental symptoms and problematic Internet use are positively related. Still, other researchers have questioned this view, and they believe that mental symptoms are negatively associated with problematic Internet use. Since then, this controversy has continued yet. The current study attempts to use meta-analysis to explore the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use in mainland Chinese students to provide a reliable basis for resolving this dispute. Sixty-three articles were included in this study, including 66 sample sizes and 47,968 subjects. It found that mental symptoms are positively correlated with problematic Internet use (r = .288, 95% confidence interval [.255, .320]). The correlation is affected by regions. Compared with coastal areas, problematic Internet users in the non-coastal areas are more likely to be affected by mental symptoms. In addition, gender differences also significantly affect the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use. The correlation coefficient between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use of girls is significantly higher than that of boys. Moreover, year also significantly affects the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use-the correlation increases by growing years.

Parental Support and Problematic Smartphone Use: A Serial Mediating Model of Self-Esteem and Fear of Missing Out

Based on problem behavior theory and interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory, this study aimed to examine the mediating roles of self-esteem and fear of missing out (FoMO) on the influence of parental support on adolescents’ problematic smartphone use. This study is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. A total of 260 Korean adolescents from two public middle schools were selected through convenience sampling (female, 50.4%; mean age, 13.16 ± 0.84; range age, 12~15). Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, parental support, self-esteem, FoMO, and problematic smartphone use. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and mediation analysis. The findings show that self-esteem and FoMO play a serial mediating role in the relationship between parental support and adolescents’ problematic smartphone use. Specifically, parental support had a negative effect on adolescents’ problematic smartphone use by increasing self-esteem but decreasing FoMO. These results provide further guidance in the prevention of and intervention of adolescent problematic smartphone use.

Smartphone and internet addiction as predictors of cyberloafing levels in students: A mediated model

This study aims to determine the predictors of cyberloafing behaviors of university students. In this context, we examined the effects of smartphone and internet addiction variables on cyberloafing levels. Besides, the mediator effect of internet addiction was determined in the impact of smartphone addiction on cyberloafing. We conducted the questionnaire-based study with 341 students studying at different departments of a state university (faculty of education, faculty of engineering, and vocational school) in Turkey. Participants consisted of 182 male and 159 female. Students filled out the smartphone addiction scale, the internet addiction scale, and the cyberloafing activities scale. The data obtained from the 5-point Likert type scales were evaluated with correlation and regression analyses. The results showed that there is a significant positive relationship between smartphone addiction, internet addiction, and cyberloafing. While internet addiction was a predictor of cyberloafing, it mediated the effect of smartphone addiction on cyberloafing. We discussed the results of this study and offered suggestions for future research.

Offline and Online Social Support and Short-Form Video Addiction Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Emotion Suppression and Relatedness Needs

Short-form video applications have gained worldwide popularity in recent years. Although short-form video applications encourage communication over the Internet, their popularity encourages adolescents to overindulge in them. This study aimed to explore the effects of offline and online social support (SS) for short-form video addiction (SVA), and the mediating role of emotion regulation and basic psychological needs. A total of 490 junior middle school students from China participated in the study. Structural equation modeling using a bootstrap procedure revealed that (a) offline SS and relatedness needs negatively predicted SVA, (b) pursuit of online SS and emotion suppression positively predicted SVA, (c) emotion suppression and relatedness needs were mediators between offline SS and SVA, and (d) emotion suppression was a mediator between the pursuit of online SS and SVA. These findings provide valuable insight into SVA and will help develop effective strategies for the prevention of SVA.

Smartphone Use Type, Fear of Missing Out, Social Support, and Smartphone Screen Time Among Adolescents in Korea: Interactive Effects

This study aims to examine the relationship between intrapersonal factors, interpersonal factors, smartphone screen time, and the moderating roles of interpersonal factors, on the basis of the ecological model. This study is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. A total of 428 participants from four public middle schools were selected through convenience sampling (55.1% female; Mean age 13.0 ± 0.78). Data were collected through self-report questionnaires that contained questions about sociodemographic characteristics, intrapersonal factors (types of smartphone use, Fear of missing out—FoMO), interpersonal factors (support from parents, teachers, and peers), and smartphone screen time. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression. The daily smartphone screen time was 4.05 ± 2.16 h. Results showed that social media (β = 0.155), games (β = 0.140), and FoMO (β = 0.227) were positively associated with smartphone screen time, while educational videos (β = −0.130) and parental support (β = −0.212) were negatively associated with smartphone screen time. Peers support moderated the association between games and smartphone screen time. Parental support moderated the association between educational videos, videos/movies/TV, and smartphone screen time. The findings highlight the direct and interactive roles of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors in predicting adolescents' smartphone screen time. Based on this study, the intrapersonal and interpersonal factors of adolescents should be comprehensively considered to intervene in their proper smartphone use.

The Relationship Between Alexithymia and Mobile Phone Addiction Among Mainland Chinese Students: A Meta-Analysis

Alexithymia and mobile phone addiction are common phenomena in daily life. Many studies have explored the internal relationship between them based on different theoretical perspectives, but the extent of the exact correlation is still controversial. To address this controversy and clarify the reasons for the divergence, a meta-analysis of 26 articles comprising 23,387 Chinese students was conducted. The results show that alexithymia was highly positively correlated with mobile phone addiction (r = 0.41, 95% CI = [0.37, 0.45]). Furthermore, the relationship was moderated by mobile phone addiction measurement tool and year of publication, with studies using the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale (MPATS) having higher correlation coefficients than those using the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI) or other measurement tools. Studies published in 2020-2021 yielded higher correlations than those published in 2014-2016 and 2017-2019. However, the relationship was not moderated by gender, region, or measures of alexithymia. Therefore, our meta-analysis of available published data indicated that alexithymia and mobile phone addiction in Chinese students are not only highly positively correlated but also affected by mobile phone addiction measurement tools and publication year. Longitudinal studies or experimental studies should be strengthened in the future to further establish the direction(s) of causality for the relation between alexithymia and mobile phone addiction.

Factors Associated with Smartphone Addiction Tendency in Korean Adolescents

This study aims to identify the factors associated with smartphone addiction tendency in Korean adolescents. A convenience sample of 502 students from four middle schools participated in the survey for the assessment of demographic, personal factors (resilience and academic stress), environmental factors (parental support, teacher support, friend support, and bullying victimization), as well as smartphone addiction tendency. Smartphone addiction tendency was determined based on the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth (SAPS) criteria developed by Kim et al. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical logistic regression. Among the adolescents, 17.9% were in the smartphone addiction tendency group. The factors associated with smartphone addiction tendency were subjective economic level, academic stress, parental support, and bullying victimization. Based on the findings of this study, it is considered necessary to approach smartphone addiction management considering personal factors as well as environmental factors.

Internet addiction and nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescence: Associations with offline and online social support

OBJECTIVES

Both nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and Internet addiction (IA) are important health issues for adolescents, and social support has been extensively examined as a protective factor for both. This study aims to compare the effect of offline and online social support on IA, and that on NSSI as well.

METHOD

A total of 1911 Chinese adolescents (53.27% females, M_age  = 16.83 ± 0.37) completed self-report questionnaires assessing offline social support, online social support, IA, and NSSI.

RESULTS

The structural equation modeling analysis showed that offline social support was negatively associated with IA and NSSI, while online social support was positively associated with IA and NSSI; IA was positively associated with NSSI. Furthermore, implications for preventions and interventions of IA and NSSI were discussed. The indirect model explained a relatively small variance of NSSI, indicating the possibility of additional factors in the development of NSSI that should be further investigated.

CONCLUSION

This study indicated the differences between offline and online social support, and their different associations with IA and NSSI.

Problematic internet use profiles and psychosocial risk among adolescents

Objective

Although Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is an emerging area of study in psychology, little is known about the unique features of specific subgroups of internet users and their psychosocial vulnerabilities within robust and nationwide populations.

Methods

The aim of this study was to identify distinct latent groups of internet users based on their PIU risk and to compare their psychosocial outcomes. To achieve this, a nationally representative sample of adolescents of the same grade (N = 1,066, Mean_age = 13.46 years, range = 12–16) was recruited from several schools in Slovenia through stratified random sampling.

Results

A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) revealed a two-class solution, with Class 1 (n = 853, 80%) featuring ‘low PIU risk’ participants and Class 2 (n = 213, 20%) including ‘high PIU risk’ participants. Behaviorally, the main feature of Class 1 denoted ‘time management difficulties’ while Class 2 was best characterized by ‘mood and time management issues’. Further frequentist and Bayesian analyses indicated that Class 2 presented greater psychosocial risk compared to Class 1 due to significantly higher levels of PIU (generalized and across specific PIU subfactors) coupled with lower levels of subjective well-being and self-control.

Conclusions

Contrary to what was initially envisaged, the two classes did not differ in terms of perceived quality in parent-child relationship. This study shows that PIU patterns and symptom-severity may be developmentally specific, further highlighting the need for clinically age-adjusted PIU screening practices within epidemiological and healthcare settings.

Self-efficacy and continuance intention of Web 2.0 platforms: a meta-analysis

Purpose

Although many studies show that self-efficacy and continuance intention of Web 2.0 platforms are positively and significant correlated, others reveal some different findings. To clarify this line of research, this study further investigates the effect of self-efficacy on continuance intention and meanwhile examines some moderating variables in this process.

Design/methodology/approach

A meta-analysis method was employed to examine the literature containing quantitative measurements of both self-efficacy and continuance intention of Web 2.0 platforms. A total of 31 effects sizes (N = 9,084) were reviewed.

Findings

The results indicate medium-sized positive correlation between self-efficacy and continuance intention of Web 2.0 platforms. Further moderation analysis shows that such medium-sized link differed across measures of Web 2.0 platform types, target respondent differences and gender of participants. Specifically, this correlation is largest for transaction-socialization platforms and smallest for experience-socialization platforms. For university-student respondents, the role of self-efficacy in affecting continuance intention is less important than general members of Web 2.0 platforms. Finally, as the percentage of female participants increases, a weaker effect size will be observed.

Originality/value

This study clarifies empirical research regarding users' self-efficacy and their continuance intention. Meanwhile, sources of inter-study variability have been identified by addressing moderator variables in the relationship between self-efficacy and continuance intention of Web 2.0 platforms, which provides directions for future explorations in this area.

Heterogeneous Association of Chinese Adolescents' Engaged Living With Problematic Internet Use: A Mixture Regression Analysis

The present study explored heterogeneity in the association between engaged living (i.e., social integration and absorption) and problematic Internet use (PIU). This study included 641 adolescents from four junior-senior high schools of Guangzhou, China. Besides the standard linear regression analysis, mixture regression analysis was conducted to detect certain subgroups of adolescents, based on their divergent association between engaged living and PIU. Sex, age, and psychological need were further compared among the latent subgroups. The results showed that a mixture regression model could account for more variance of PIU than a traditional linear regression model, and identified three subgroups based on their class-specific regression of PIU to engaged living. For the High-PIU class, lower social integration and higher absorption were associated with increased PIU; for the Medium-PIU class, only high social integration was linked with the increase of PIU. For the Low-PIU class, no relation between engaged living and PIU were found. Additionally, being male or having a lower level of satisfied psychological needs increased the link between engaged living and PIU. The results indicated a heterogeneous relationship between engaged living and PIU among adolescents, and prevention or intervention programs should be tailored specifically to subgroups with moderate or high levels of PIU and to those with lower levels of psychological needs’ satisfaction, as identified by the mixture regression model.

Effects of personality disorders and attitudes towards social networking services: evidence from family business successors in the Arab world

Purpose

This paper examines the effect of personality disorders, namely loneliness and shyness, on the family business successors' attitude towards social networking services (SNS).

Design/methodology/approach

In this study the personality disorder and attitude towards using WhatsApp are analysed in a sample of 511 family business successors, aged 18 and up to more than 50 years. Participants completed questionnaires designed for the purposes of the study specifically using for loneliness factor the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell et al., 1978) and for shyness the Sociability Scale (Cheek and Buss, 1981). We use two statistical methods: the first statistical technique is an exploratory factor analysis to show that shyness can be measured down into two dimensions (1) lack of confidence and (2) hesitancy, while loneliness also can be measured into the two dimensions: (1) amiability and (2) abandonment. The second statistical method uses structural equation modelling (SEM) to fit the data to the proposed model.

Findings

The results indicate that neither a lack of confidence nor amiability has a significant effect on the attitude towards instant messaging, while hesitancy and abandonment both have significant effects on attitude. Moreover, abandonment has a stronger effect on attitude than hesitancy.

Research limitations/implications

In this study were not included other related social disorders that other scholars normally study in such projects. For example, narcissism, addiction and socially anxious are very important and have results that conflict with ours.

Originality/value

The causal relations between the two independent factors of shyness and loneliness and the dependent factor of attitude towards using an Internet and SNS in family businesses from the Arab world have not yet been clearly and fully explored. This study aims to fill this gap through studying the impact of personality disorder (loneliness and shyness) on attitude to use SNS by the successors of family businesses.

COVID-19 Infection Risk and Depressive Symptoms Among Young Adults During Quarantine: The Moderating Role of Grit and Social Support

Prior research has demonstrated that the adverse consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may go beyond its economic hardships and physical health concerns, having a significant influence on psychological distress for individuals under quarantine. Nevertheless, relatively little attention has been paid to exploring the risk and protective factors in the link between COVID-19 infection risk and psychological distress among young adults. Following a socioecological framework, the current study examines the moderating role of grit (perseverance and consistency) and social support in the association between COVID-19 infection risk and depressive symptoms. A sample of 1,251 young adults under home quarantine (62.6% female; M age = 20.92 years, SD = 1.47; age ranged from 18 to 25 years) was involved in this study, and they were asked to complete a set of self-reported questionnaires online. Results of a linear regression analysis exhibited that COVID-19 infection risk was positively associated with depressive symptoms in young adults in quarantine. Moreover, moderation analyses showed that this association was moderated by perseverance and social support. To be specific, for those reporting higher levels of social support, this linkage was not significantly positive; in contrast, for those reporting lower levels of social support, perseverance was a significant protective factor for depressive symptoms when young adults were exposed to a high infection risk of COVID-19. The current study suggests that greater social support is essential to helping young adults deal with possible negative emotions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, university-based counseling services should pay specific attention to those young adults with relatively insufficient social support resources and low levels of perseverance.

Internet gaming disorder and psychosocial well-being: A longitudinal study of older-aged adolescents and emerging adults

The American Psychiatric Association defined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) within Section III of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a tentative disorder requiring further research. Although cross-sectional studies have suggested that IGD is closely associated with poorer psychosocial well-being, longitudinal studies scarce, and whether poorer psychosocial well-being is the cause or effect of IGD is still unclear. To address this issue, a longitudinal study including three-wave data from older-aged adolescents and emerging adults (1,054 first-year university students, age range 17-21 years, 41.2% male) was conducted. Cross-lagged panel models were tested to examine the longitudinal association between IGD and psychosocial well-being. The results suggested that IGD negatively affects variables of psychosocial well-being (i.e., self-esteem, social support, and life satisfaction), but not vice versa. The results supported the interpersonal impairment hypothesis, which conceptualizes IGD as a maladaptive response leading to poorer psychosocial well-being. Furthermore, the results also showed that IGD was negatively associated with self-esteem and social support across all three waves with gender differences across these associations and larger correlations for males in comparison to females. In conclusion, the study findings highlight that the classification of IGD as a mental health disorder is appropriate, and that the condition is a risk factor for impaired psychosocial well-being in late adolescence and early adulthood.

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

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

Internet addiction disorder detection of Chinese college students using several personality questionnaire data and support vector machine

With the unprecedented development of the Internet, it also brings the challenge of Internet Addiction (IA), which is hard to diagnose and cure according to the state-of-art research. In this study, we explored the feasibility of machine learning methods to detect IA. We acquired a dataset consisting of 2397 Chinese college students from the University (Age: 19.17 ± 0.70, Male: 64.17%) who completed Brief Self Control Scale (BSCS), the 11th version of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory (CBF-PI) and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), where CBF-PI includes five sub-features (Openness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) and BSCS includes three sub-features (Attention, Motor and Non-planning). We applied Student's t-test on the dataset for feature selection and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) including C-SVM and ν-SVM with grid search for the classification and parameters optimization. This work illustrates that SVM is a reliable method for the assessment of IA and questionnaire data analysis. The best detection performance of IA is 96.32% which was obtained by C-SVM in the 6-feature dataset without normalization. Finally, the BIS-11, BSCS, Motor, Neuroticism, Non-planning, and Conscientiousness are shown to be promising features for the detection of IA.

Problematic Internet Use as a Predictor of Eating Disorders in Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

Problematic Internet use (PIU) has begun to be linked to the development of certain eating disorders. This uncontrolled use of the Internet is mainly found in the student population. The purposes of this paper were to determine PIU-related eating disorders in students from a systematic review of the literature and to analyze the incidence of PIU in eating disorders through a meta-analysis of the literature. We used two electronic databases (Web of Science and Scopus) from inception to June 2019. The systematic literature review was based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 12 studies were identified (systematic review) and 10 studies for meta-analysis, which included 16,520 students. Different eating disorders were associated with PIU: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, food preoccupation, loss of control eating, and dieting. Furthermore, meta-analysis confirmed that PIU is a predictor of eating disorders in students. The groups of students with PIU presented a higher rate in the presence of eating disorders, these differences being significant. Finally, this study showed empirical evidence on the link between PIU and eating disorders. The need for prevention in childhood and adolescence is highlighted.

Peer Group Identification as Determinant of Youth Behavior and the Role of Perceived Social Support in Problem Gambling

Gambling opportunities have increased rapidly during recent years. Previous research shows that gambling is a popular activity among youth, which may contribute to problem gambling. This study examined how social identification with online and offline peer groups associates with youth problem gambling behavior and if perceived social support buffers this relationship. Data were gathered with an online survey with 1212 American and 1200 Finnish participants between 15 and 25 years of age. Measures included the South Oaks Gambling Screen for problem gambling, and items for peer group identification and perceived social support. It was found that youth who identify strongly with offline peer groups were less likely to engage in problem gambling, while strong identification with online peer groups had the opposite effect. We also found that the associations between social identification and problem gambling behavior were moderated by perceived social support. Online peer groups may be a determinant in youth problem gambling. Focusing on offline peer groups and increasing social support can hold significant potential in youth gambling prevention.

The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Psychopathological Symptoms, and Problematic Internet Use: A Complex Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

There are many empirical studies that demonstrate the associations between problematic internet use, psychopathological symptoms, and personality traits. However, complex models are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to build and test a mediation model based on problematic internet use, psychopathological symptoms, and personality traits.

METHODS

Data were collected from a medical addiction center (43 internet addicts) and internet cafés (222 customers) in Beijing (mean age 22.45, SD 4.96 years; 239/265, 90.2% males). Path analysis was applied to test the mediation models using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Based on the preliminary analyses (correlations and linear regression), two different models were built. In the first model, low conscientiousness and depression had a direct significant influence on problematic internet use. The indirect effect of conscientiousness-via depression-was nonsignificant. Emotional stability only affected problematic internet use indirectly, via depressive symptoms. In the second model, low conscientiousness also had a direct influence on problematic internet use, whereas the indirect path via the Global Severity Index was again nonsignificant. Emotional stability impacted problematic internet use indirectly via the Global Severity Index, whereas it had no direct effect on it, as in the first model.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality traits (ie, conscientiousness as a protective factor and neuroticism as a risk factor) play a significant role in problematic internet use, both directly and indirectly (via distress level).

The relationship between coping style and Internet addiction among mainland Chinese students: A meta-analysis

The matter of whether different coping styles are correlated with increased Internet addiction or not remains a topic of debate. Most researchers have argued that Internet addiction is linked to low positive coping and high negative coping; however, others have rejected this opinion. Consequently, this meta-analysis examined the link between coping style and Internet addiction to address this controversy. Seventy-seven studies comprising 46,025 Chinese adolescent students were analyzed. The results suggested a medium negative correlation between positive coping and Internet addiction and a medium positive correlation between negative coping and Internet addiction. Furthermore, coping style measures, Internet addiction, region, and gender moderated these links. The link between negative coping and Internet addiction was largest when positive coping was measured with the Coping Style Questionnaire (CSQ), smaller when using the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and smallest when using other measures. The negative correlation between positive coping and Internet addiction was largest when Internet addiction was measured with the Internet Addiction Test, smaller when using revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale, and smallest when using other measures. For both positive and negative coping and Internet addiction, the correlations were largest in Eastern China, smaller in Central China, and smallest in Western China.