Internet Addiction in adolescence: Neurobiological, psychosocial and clinical issues

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

BACKGROUND

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

LIMITATIONS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

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

INTRODUCTION

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

LIMITATIONS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

Internet addiction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Associations with sociodemographic and psychological distress

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has had tremendous implications for billions of adolescents worldwide due to school closures, forcing students to embrace internet usage for daily tasks. Uncontrolled use of the internet among adolescents makes them vulnerable to internet addiction (IA). This study aims to determine the prevalence of IA among adolescents and assess its association with sociodemographic factors, smartphone use, and psychological distress during the pandemic.

Method

A cross-sectional self-administered online survey was conducted among students aged 13-17 from May 15th, 2021, until May 30th, 2021, using the Malay version of the Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Coronavirus Impacts Questionnaires, as well as a sociodemographic information form. The data was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.

Results

A total of 420 adolescents participated in the survey. The majority of them (70.7%) were female, with a mean age of 15.47 years (±1.49 years old). About 45.5% of the respondents were classified as internet addicted users. The Chi-square test analysis showed that age (p = 0.002), smartphone usage (p = 0.010), rate of midnight use (p < 0.001), frequency (p < 0.001), duration (p < 0.001) of device usage, and presence of depression, anxiety, and stress (p < 0.001) were all significantly associated with IA. Multiple logistic regression showed age (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI [1.00-1.35], p = 0.048), smartphone usage (aOR =3.52, 95% CI [1.43-8.67], p = 0.006), mild or moderate depression (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI [1.36-4.34], p = 0.003), severe or extremely severe stress (aOR = 6.41, 95% CI [2.18-18.82], p = 0.001) were significantly related to IA.

Conclusions

Late adolescence, the use of smartphones, and the presence of psychological distress like depression, and stress were potentially associated with IA. Wise use of smartphones and early identification of any psychological distress among adolescents are warranted, especially during the pandemic.

The relationship between physical exercise and problematic internet use in college students: the chain-mediated role of self-control and loneliness

OBJECTIVE

From the perspective of exercise psychology, to investigate the antefacts of problematic internet use (PIU) in college students, and to reveal the chain mediating effect of self-control and loneliness between physical exercise and PIU.

METHODS

1081 college students in Chongqing, China were investigated by Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Self-control Scale (SCS), Loneliness Scale (UCLA), and Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R), and the data were statistically analyzed by SPSS25.0 and AMOS21.0 software.

RESULTS

(1) There was a significant negative correlation between physical exercise and PIU, and the former has a direct negative predictive effect on the latter. (2) Physical exercise could indirectly influence the PIU of college students through the partial mediating effect of self-control and loneliness, respectively. (3) Physical exercise could also indirectly influence PIU through the chain mediation of "self-control → loneliness".

CONCLUSION

Maintaining regular physical exercise can promote the improvement of self-control and the weakening of the loneliness experience of college students, and then help to prevent or alleviate PIU behavior, which is of great significance for psychological and behavioral health.

Lifestyle Habits Related to Internet Use in Adolescents: Relationships between Wellness, Happiness, and Mental Health

BACKGROUND

Studies in recent years have shown a significant increase in problematic internet use. Prolonged internet usage negatively impacts various aspects of adolescents' lifestyles.

METHODS

The survey was conducted in three Lithuanian cities-Vilnius, Klaipėda, and Molėtai-between October and December of 2023. The survey involved students between the ages of 12 and 16. The participants completed a questionnaire that included questions about wellness and happiness, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Our study aimed to investigate problematic internet use among Lithuanian adolescents and its relationships with wellness, happiness, and mental health.

RESULTS

This study included 1412 adolescents, with a mean age of 14.41 ± 1.20, with the sample composed of 52.3% boys. Boys indicated that they felt healthier and happier than girls (69.4% vs. 47.4%; 51.4% vs. 29.6%), p < 0.001. A total of 20.8% of students had IAT scores that reflect a normal level of internet usage. For IAT, the average score of girls was statistically significantly higher than that of boys (41.87 ± 12.24 vs. 39.96 ± 12.37), p < 0.001. The IAT score was higher in the group of students who felt less happy and healthy, had more frequent headaches or abdominal pain, and had problems with sleep, p < 0.001. A statistically significant, positive weak correlation was found between students' IAT scores and SDQ internalizing and SDQ externalizing scores (r = 0.366; r = 0.385, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Prolonged internet use is arising as a serious problem among adolescents. Negative feelings, unhappiness, and poor emotion regulation have an association with internet addiction. Also, the female gender may be more associated with possible internet addiction. The results of this study can serve as initial steps toward developing preventive interventions.

Facebook addiction and its impact on depression: a cross sectional study

AIM

Facebook has become a part of daily life for its users and therefore become a very significant factor of mental health. As the number of Facebook users increases exponentially, the problems related to immense use have become more evident and more frequent. Therefore, the study aimed to explore the impact of Facebook addiction on depression among its users.

METHODS

An online-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 269 Facebook users of Bangladesh using convenient sampling technique. Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale was used to assess Facebook addiction and its impact on depression.Ordinal logistic was used to extract the significant variables associated with Facebook addiction and depression.

RESULTS

The result categorized the Facebook users into three categories as : normal (17%), problematic user (52%) and addicted (30.5%). Facebook users were suffering from mild (13.4%), minimal (15.6%), moderate (59.5%), and severe (11.5%) level of depression. Both Facebook addiction and depression were moderately correlated (0.701). Ordinal regression showed, gender [Formula: see text] (95% CI) = 0.859 (0.223,1.495)), age (β (95% CI) = -2.051(-3.789, -0.313)), residential area (β (95% CI) = -0.858(-1.626, -0.09)), occupation ([Formula: see text]), time length of Facebook use ([Formula: see text]are the significant predictors of Facebook addiction. Wheras, relationship types and occupation are also responsible for depression.

CONCLUSION

The study showed large portion of facebook users of Bangladesh are suffering from depression. Authors suggest to arrange mental health campaign to promote bounded and legitimate use of facebook and therefore will accelerate the attaining rate of sustainable development goal related to the Bangladesh's health status.

Identifying the risk of depression in a large sample of adolescents: An artificial neural network based on random forest

BACKGROUND

This study aims to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) prediction model incorporating random forest (RF) screening ability for predicting the risk of depression in adolescents and identifies key risk factors to provide a new approach for primary care screening of depression among adolescents.

METHODS

The data were from a large cross-sectional study conducted in China from July to September 2021, enrolling 8635 adolescents aged 10-17 with their parents. We used the Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) to rate adolescent depression symptoms, using scales and single-item questions to collect demographic information and other variables. Initial model variables screening used the RF importance assessment, followed by building prediction model using the screened variables through the ANN.

RESULTS

The rate of depression symptoms in adolescents was 24.6%, and the depression risk prediction model was built based on 70% of the training set and 30% of the test set. Ten variables were included in the final prediction model with a model accuracy of 85.03%, AUC of 0.892, specificity of 89.79%, and sensitivity of 70.81%. The top 10 significant factors of depression risk were adolescent rumination, adolescent self-esteem, adolescent mobile phone addiction, peer victimization, care in parenting styles, overprotection in parenting styles, academic pressure, conflict in parent-child relationship, parental rumination, and relationship between parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The ANN model based on the RF effectively identifies depression risk in adolescents and provides a methodological reference for large-scale primary screening. Cross-sectional studies and single-item scales limit further improvements in model accuracy.

The association between childhood adverse experiences and internet addiction: A meta-analysis

Many studies have explored the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and Internet addiction (IA), yet the research findings on the association between them are inconclusive. We conducted a systematic search on 7 databases to identify the relevant studies published until January 2023, and analyzed the findings from 37 studies across 12 countries involving 45,364 participants aged 8 to 67 years (51 % women). Results indicated a positive correlation (r = 0.21) was found between ACE and IA around the world, which differed among continents. It was found that all ACE subtypes were significantly associated with IA (range r = 0.16 to 0.25). Meta-regression showed a stronger association among younger individuals without moderating effects of gender or publication year. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the significant association between ACEs and IA, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and preventive measures. Future research could delve into specific interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of ACEs on IA, such as cognitive-behavioral therapies or metacognitive therapy interventions. Additionally, investigating cultural factors that may influence this association could provide valuable insights into tailored approaches for different populations. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective strategies to address IA and its underlying factors.

Disrupted inter-brain synchronization in the prefrontal cortex between adolescents and young adults with gaming disorders during the real-world cooperating video games

BACKGROUND

Gaming disorder (GD) and hazardous gaming (HG) have a high incidence among adolescents and young adults and have caused various negative consequences. Interpersonal interaction deficits are closely related to GD and HG, however, the underlying brain mechanisms are still unclear.

METHODS

The current study recruited 46 healthy subjects and 32 subjects with GD/HG. Gaming time and frequency, gaming disorder risks, life events, strengths, and difficulties were measured with scales. Subjects were randomly paired into 12 HC-HC dyads, 15 GD/HG-HC dyads, and 7 GD/HG-GD/HG dyads and in pairs completed a real-world cooperating video game - "Tied Together" with functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning recording in the prefrontal cortex. The inter-brain synchronization in each region of the PFC between dyads was calculated by wavelet to transform coherence to measure brain-to-brain synchronization.

RESULTS

We found subjects with GD/HG reported higher risks of gaming. The highest IBS in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex significantly decreased in the GD/HG-HC and GD/HG-GD/HG dyads compared with healthy controls. A decreasing highest IBS of the left dlPFC was related to a decreasing level of peer problems.

LIMITATIONS

We declare limitations of age gaps of samples, undistinguishing GD from HG, use of sub-samples, and the broad concept of interpersonal interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found a decreased highest IBS in the left dlPFC among adolescents and young adults with gaming diseases. It may provide new prevention and treatment insights into gaming disorders targeting disrupted interpersonal interaction.

Social media addiction and depression and their predictors among university students

OBJECTIVES

Social media facilitate the interaction between individuals without regard to the distances between the users. Everybody who has access to internet can suffer from social media addiction. During COVID-19 pandemic there was an increase in social media usage among all population types and especially the university students, which would negatively affect their mental health. Therefore, this study aims at assessing social media addiction and depression among pharmacy students by using questionnaires specifically designed for this purpose.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted from the start of November to the end of December 2021 among undergraduate pharmacy students in Mosul city, Iraq. An online questionnaire was adopted; it consisted of three parts, the first was for collecting socio-demographic and social media usage information, Social Media Addiction Questionnaire (SMAQ) was used in the second part to assess social media addiction of the participants, and the third part was comprised of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression among students.

RESULTS

Six hundred-three students completed the questionnaire and constituted the final study sample. Instagram was the most used social media program among the students. About 38 % of the students were at risk of becoming addicted on social media, with only 8.4 % of them being minimally or not depressed. Additionally, positive significant correlation was observed between social media addiction and depression. Using social media for more than 4 h and poor academic performance were found to be predictors for social media addiction and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Addiction to social media and depression are prevalent among pharmacy students in Iraq and the two are related to each other.

Problematic Internet Use Among Adolescent Male and Female Psychiatric Inpatients: A Gender Perspective

Problematic internet use (PIU) is of treatment interest in adolescent clinical samples. Gender specific differences in terms of personality traits and psychopathological symptoms remain unclear. In an adolescent clinical sample (n = 104; 69 girls) PIU, psychopathology, temperament and character traits as well as emotional and behavioral problems were assessed. 62% of the sample showed subthreshold PIU and 34% full PIU (fPIU). Boys reported more gaming whereas girls social networking. Sex specific analyses revealed gender differences: Girls with fPIU scored significantly higher on internalizing/externalizing problems/behavior, novelty seeking and transcendence, and lower on persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness than girls without fPIU. Boys with fPIU scored significantly higher on internalizing problems and self-transcendence and lower on harm avoidance than boys without fPIU. Gender plays an important role in PIU. Gender specific differences in both application use as well as symptomatic, temperament and character traits call for a gender specific approach in prevention and treatment integration.

Enhancing academic self-efficacy on decreasing adolescents' unmonitored internet usage and depressive mood

Unmonitored internet use and depression are difficulties that adolescents experience. Efforts to promote healthy adolescent development tend to focus on reducing these two risk outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine how three important school-related factors (teachers, peers, and academics) affect adolescents' levels of unmonitored internet use and depression. For this study, a cross-sectional data analysis was conducted. The sample included 9297 students who participated in two waves of the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using LISREL 8.80 to analyze the data. Monte Carlo resampling was then performed using R to confirm the significance of the mediating effects. Teacher criticism and negative peers can increase unmonitored internet use and depression in adolescents, while academic stress can exacerbate depression. In contrast, teacher praise and positive peers can reduce those risk outcomes. Academic self-efficacy serves as a key mediator of the impacts of teachers, peers, and academics on adolescents' levels of unmonitored internet use and depression. We advocate that schools should establish a positive school climate, provide teacher feedback training and design physical activity programs to improve academic self-efficacy, thereby reducing the risk of unmonitored internet use and depression among adolescents, effectively preventing possible subsequent internet addiction and promoting the mental health of adolescents.

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

Background

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

Methods

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

Results

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

Conclusion

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

Could the Construct of Modern-Type Depression Predict Internet Gaming Disorder in Italian Video Gamers? A Case-Control Study

A new postmodern depression type, named "Modern-Type Depression" (MTD), is emerging in Western countries. MTD is often underdiagnosed, mainly due to potentially higher comorbidity with technology-based addictions, including Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). However, the definition of the relationship between MTD and IGD is still controversial, as few data have been published thus far. In particular, there are no data specifically investigating the prevalence of MTD within Italian young subjects with IGD, as well as their mutual association. Hence, within the SWATCH (Social Withdrawal and TeCno-mediated mental Health issues) project, our study aimed to identify the prevalence of MTD in a sample of Italian young adults who play video games by providing a clinical characterization of MTD within a group of IGD individuals (IGD+) versus a group without IGD (IGD-) who play video games. Our cross-sectional case-control study recruited a sample of 543 Italian young video-gaming players (aged 18-35) from the larger SWATCH database, stratified as IGD+ versus IGD-. Subjects were administered the 22-item Tarumi's Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS-22), the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ), and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF). Around 21.7% of the total sample was represented by MTD individuals, while within the IGD sample, around 34% of subjects had MTD. Within the MTD group, significantly higher scores at IGDS-9SF (p < 0.001), MOGQ "Escape from reality" (p < 0.001), "Fantasy" (p < 0.001), and MOGQ total score (p = 0.003) were found compared to MTD-. According to the multivariate regression model, controlled for sex and age, higher scores in the TACS-22 were positively predicted by the total score of IGDS9-SF (p = 0.003), the MOGQ "Escape from Reality" subscale (p = 0.014), and MOGQ "Fantasy" (p = 0.011), and negatively predicted by the MOGQ "Competition" subscale (p = 0.035) [F (4538) = 17.265; p < 0.001]. Our findings suggested that MTD displays a strong association with IGD. Video-gaming players who do not have IGD appear to be less prone to MTD; this suggests that further studies could be carried out to specifically investigate whether pathological use of video games could also be determined by the presence of MTD.

The Effect of Internet Addiction and Emotion Regulation on Trauma Reactions During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Adolescents With Anxiety Disorder

ABSTRACT

In this study, we examined the relationship among trauma reactions, anxiety severity, Internet addiction (IA), and emotion regulation difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with anxiety disorders. The sample of study consisted of 63 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years who were diagnosed with AD and their parents. IA scores and emotional regulation difficulties were significantly higher in the group with pathological trauma reactions than the group exhibiting nonpathological trauma reactions. The trauma scores of adolescents with AD were correlated with IA, emotional regulation difficulties, and anxiety scores. The results of mediation analysis found that IA was the full mediating factor in the relationship between anxiety and trauma scores and a partial mediating factor in the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties and trauma scores. As a result, monitoring adolescents' Internet use not exceeding healthy levels and developing and strengthening emotion regulation skills can help protect against trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between problematic internet use and attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic internet use (PIU) and ADHD-related symptoms of attention deficit, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

METHODS

We chose a meta-analytical approach and searched for relevant studies in different databases (Pubmed, PsycInfo, Google scholar). We identified 24 studies with 18 859 participants (mean age = 18.40 (SD = 5.51)) published between 2004 and 2021 which were applicable for our research. We calculated 21, 7, and 9 effect sizes for attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity, respectively.

RESULTS

We found significant associations between PIU and attention deficit (r = 0.36, 95% confidence interval = [0.28 to 0.43]), hyperactivity (r = 0.44, 95% confidence interval = [0.33 to 0.53]), and impulsivity (r = 0.41, 95% confidence interval = [0.30 to 0.51]), p < .001 for all three. The effect sizes of attention deficit and hyperactivity were significantly higher in male compared to female participants. Additionally, higher attention deficit effects were found in adults compared to children/adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis indicates that ADHD-related symptoms are associated with PIU. Although cross-sectional analyses cannot explain cause-and-effect relationships, we hypothesize that attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity constitute a vulnerability towards PIU.

Risk factors for poor progression of addictive internet use across different COVID-19 periods in China

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Addictive behaviors are serious factors for mental health and usually increase during public crises. We identified the vulnerable characteristics for bad prognosis of addictive internet use across different periods of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

Self-reported questionnaires were delivered in three waves through jdh.com during the outbreak (n = 17,960), remission (n = 15,666), and dynamic zero (n = 12,158) periods of COVID-19 pandemic in China. Internet addiction degree was assessed using the Internet Addiction Test. The different progression groups were divided using a latent class growth model among 1679 longitudinal participants. Risk factors for bad progression were identified by two-step logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 40.16% of participants reported an increase in the addictive degree of internet use compared with prepandemic. Across different COVID-19 periods, the overall trend of addictive internet use was downward among general Chinese study participants (Mslope = -1.56). Childhood traumatic experiences, deterioration of physical health, depression, and anxiety during remission and dynamic periods were the main risk factors for the bad progression of pandemic-induced addictive internet use.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Addictive internet use was remitted following relaxed control policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Negative childhood experiences and bad mental status during the recovery period were harmful to coping with pandemic-related addictive internet use.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings profiled the general trend of addictive internet use and the vulnerable characteristics of its bad progression across different periods of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in China. Our findings provide valuable insights for preventing the long-term adverse effects of negative public events on Internet addiction.

Evolution and trends of hikikomori: a bibliometrics analysis

Hikikomori is the Japanese term for the phenomenon of young adults isolating themselves from society and becoming reclusive. This study aims to examine the evolution and distribution of hikikomori, as well as identify the major players and institutions involved in hikikomori research. The searches, which were conducted in Scopus database identified 286 academic research works pertaining to hikikomori research. The findings indicate that hikikomori has attracted the attention of academic researchers in both the East and the West, with a consistent increase in research output since the Internet revolution over the past decade. The study highlights the potential for additional research on hikikomori and provides a benchmark for new researchers entering the field.

Hikikomori: A perspective from bibliometric analysis

AIMS

Hikikomori is a common phenomenon reported in Japan and many other countries. However, the broad trends of the research publications on hikikomori are unclear. Therefore, this study examined the patterns of research on hikikomori using bibliometric analysis.

METHODS

Relevant publications were searched in Web of Science. Bibliometric analyses were performed with CiteSpace, R and VOSviewer.

RESULTS

In total, 297 publications on hikikomori met the eligibility criteria. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry (IF = 10.461) published the most papers (K = 17, or 5.7%) on hikikomori. Takahiro A. Kato from Kyushu University (41; 13.8%; H-index = 18) was the most influential author, while Takahiro A. Kato (total link strength [TLS]: 235), Alan R. Teo (TLS: 157), and Masaru Tateno (TLS: 153) separately had the strongest research collaboration with other researchers. Of all countries that published on hikikomori, Japan had the highest number of publications (K = 91). The keywords "United States" and "psychiatric diagnosis" received the most attention between 2013 and 2015, whereas "health" and "autism spectrum disorder" received the most attention in 2021 and 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer-reviewed research publications on hikikomori are growing rapidly and the research trends in this field are also changing.

Adolescent psychiatry of Y. Kasahara and succeeding research on Hikikomori in Europe and in Japan

This paper will focus on the works of one of Japan's representative psychiatrists, Yomishi Kasahara, particularly on his works in the 1970s in which he proposed the concept of student apathy, and will discuss how this work was carried over into a contemporary topic, the study of "Hikikomori." Kasahara's well-known paper "Clinical Classification of Depression" (Kasahara and Kimura, 1975) described the present state of patients with Type III as "they do not have a complete set of symptoms as in Type I, but sometimes show dependency, strong exaggeration, complication of other neurotic symptoms, little tendency of self-reproaching, and tendency of accusing others"; the two subtypes as Type III-1 "those that remain at the neurotic level" and Type III-2 "those that transiently drop to the psychotic level." We have summarized and introduced below the case presented in the paper with this Type III-1. From today's perspective, where the concept of "Hikikomori" exists, this case could be considered as a typical case of "Hikikomori," that is, a person with a tendency to avoid social roles and responsibilities and to immerse oneself in areas with no responsibilities, such as hobbies. "Hikikomori" was discovered in the late 1980s, but to be precise, it was just that the concept emerged. The same clinical condition had already been brilliantly found by Kasahara in the 1970s under the concept of "apathy syndrome," which was distinguished from depression.

Wellbeing, social media addiction and coping strategies among Chilean adolescents during the pandemic

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents had to deal with a range of mental health problems that has increased social media addiction levels with adverse effects on life satisfaction. Previous studies have explored coping mechanisms to deal with this addiction problem, but did not consider the need to simultaneously cope with different dimensions. Therefore, our study aimed to examine the moderating effect of various coping mechanisms on the relationship between social media addiction and adolescent life satisfaction.

Methods

Self-report questionnaires were applied to 1290 secondary school students (age mean = 16.03, SD = 1.27, range: 14 to 19; and 57% female). An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis were performed to determine the factor structure of the Brief-Cope 28 scale. Then, a descriptive and correlational analysis of the variables and a multiple linear regression analysis was performed.

Results

We found that the social media addiction risk was negatively associated with life satisfaction, adaptive strategies were positively correlated to life satisfaction, and maladaptive strategies were negatively correlated to it. Also, a moderation model was evaluated in which four stress management strategies, namely acceptance and perspective-taking, seeking socio-emotional support, active coping, and maladaptive strategies all conditioned the relationship between social media addiction risk and life satisfaction after controlling for demographic variables and the specific strategies of using comedy, religion and substance use. Results indicate additive and multiplicative effects of management strategies for stressful situations in the studied relationship. Seeking socio-emotional support and active coping were positively related to life satisfaction and maladaptive strategies were negatively associated with it. Multiplicative effects indicate that the relationship between the social media addiction risk and life satisfaction depends only on the acceptance and perspective taking that adolescents report. When adolescents reported having low or average levels of acceptance and perspective taking, there was a negative correlation with general life satisfaction, a connection that grew markedly stronger. In contrast, no connection between social media addiction and life satisfaction was detected for adolescents who report higher levels of acceptance and perspective-taking.

Discussion

Abuse of social media and the use of maladaptive stress coping strategies were risk factors that decreased life satisfaction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Prevalence and associated factors of internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: association with childhood trauma

Introduction

Internet addiction (IA) is common among adolescents and may have severe consequences. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with IA among middle school students of Hunan Province, China. Relevance between IA and childhood trauma was also explored.

Methods

One thousand six hundred ten students were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Data collected included demographics; internet addiction (revised-Chen internet addiction scale); childhood trauma (CTQ-SF); depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (DASS-21); suicidal behaviors, as well as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Cramer's V analysis, univariable logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression were used for associations and identifying independent relevance of IA, respectively.

Results

The prevalence of IA was 12.8%. Cramer's V analysis showed that IA was associated with emotional abuse, emotional and physical neglect, NSSI, suicidal behaviors, stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, physical disorder history. Regression analysis showed that IA was independently associated with emotional neglect (OR = 3.062, 95% CI: 2.083, 4.501, p < 0.001); physical neglect (OR = 2.328; 95% CI: 1.590, 3.409, p < 0.001); depressive symptoms (OR = 2.218, 95% CI: 1.467, 3.353, p < 0.001) nationality (OR = 1.888, 95% CI: 1.034, 3.447, p = 0.006) and age (OR = 1.253, 95% CI: 1.066, 1.471, p = 0.006).

Discussion

IA is common among middle school students. Attention should be paid to students with childhood trauma since they have a higher risk for IA, which may increase the risk for suicidal behaviors.

Internet addiction, loneliness, and academic burnout among Chinese college students: a mediation model

Background

The dynamics of education and student life have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our society, especially the education system, has become largely dependent on the Internet. This paradigm shifts largely took place in the last few decades. As such, there are various ways in which we cannot comprehend the impact that the Internet can have on student psychology, and how multiple other factors could influence that. Internet addiction and its relationship with academic burnout, along with the impact of loneliness, are all essential factors that must be discussed candidly in the post-COVID-19 era. Hence, the objective of this study was, therefore, to explore the relationship between Internet addiction, loneliness, and academic burnout among Chinese college students as well as the mediating role of loneliness.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey at a Chinese university from October to November 2022. In total, 810 valid respondents were selected via random cluster sampling using the well-established Internet Addiction, Loneliness, and Academic Burnout Scale. The primary approach of mediation analysis and structural equation modeling testing examined the relationships among the three components.

Results

Internet addiction could be responsible for academic burnout among college students. Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between Internet addiction and academic burnout. In a mediated way, different types of loneliness contribute to different types of academic burnout.

Conclusion

Psychological interventions for loneliness, especially emotional loneliness prevention, are the critical aspects of the problem of Internet addiction accompanied with academic burnout. The causal relationship between Internet addiction and academic burnout, possibly of a two-way nature, needs to be further explored in the next future.

Engaging in the good with technology: a framework for examining positive technology use

The focus on the negative side of technology has become a prominent factor in the understanding of the interactions between humans and technology. However, there is a positive side to technology use that has been less investigated in scientific research. Well-being researchers have determined that it is not just the absence of negative emotions or experiences, but rather the presence and frequency of positive ones that matter most. Therefore, despite the scarcity of research on the positive side of technology, the present conceptual paper focuses on how technology may be used for the good to produce psychological benefits (e.g., greater happiness, lower loneliness, higher peer endorsement). Based on existing literature, we posit at least three directions for good interactions with technology: (1) "seeing good" by focusing on positive visual cues through technology use; (2) "feeling good" by focusing on good feelings that arise from technology use; and (3) "doing good" by focusing on positive actions that can be enacted via technology use. Based on the synthesis of these three components, we propose a framework for technology laden engagement in the good, dubbed as, the Engagement in the Good with Technology (EGT) Framework. Through this framework, we explain how these three distinct aspects of seeing, feeling, and doing good can co-occur and be interrelated, and in turn potentially lead to upward spirals of positive outcomes.

A Systematic Review of the Association of Internet Gaming Disorder and Excessive Social Media Use With Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents: Is It a Curse or a Blessing?

Internet gaming and social media usage (SMU), particularly among children and teenagers, have witnessed a remarkable surge over the past decade. However, it remains uncertain whether this widespread usage has a positive or negative impact. The primary objective of this systematic review was to investigate the diverse effects of excessive video game playing and extensive SMU, both favorable and detrimental, on the psychological and mental well-being of children and adolescents. To assess the influence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and disordered SMU on the mental health of children aged 6-12 years and adolescents aged 13-18 years, we conducted a systematic review of 20 studies on the subject. These studies utilized a substantial sample size of 48,652 participants, encompassing online and in-person questionnaires administered to children, teenagers, and their parents in educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and online platforms. Our findings suggest that multiple factors contribute to the intricate relationship between SMU, video game playing, and mental health outcomes. The majority of research indicates that excessive gaming or SMU among children and teenagers leads to adverse consequences on their mental well-being. Furthermore, certain studies have even reported fatal consequences, while others have identified a worsening of preexisting mental health issues. A few studies have explored the potential positive impacts of SMU and gaming on individuals and society at large. In light of this, we have concluded that it is inappropriate to categorize internet gaming and SMU as solely beneficial or detrimental without considering the broader context and the interplay of various factors.

Internet addiction and depression among Chinese adolescents: anxiety as a mediator and social support as a moderator

This study constructed a moderated mediation model to investigate the mediating effect of anxiety and the moderating effect of social support between Internet addiction and depression. A sample of 17 058 middle school students in one district of Chengdu were selected. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Social Support Scale for adolescents were used to investigate their Internet addiction, anxiety, depression and social support. The descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation analysis were performed with SPSS 25.0. An SPSS macro process was used to analyze the data from complex models that contained mediators and moderators. The results show that adolescents with Internet addiction are more likely to suffer from depression. Anxiety partially mediated the relations between Internet addiction and depression. Social support moderated both direct and indirect pathways leading from Internet addiction to depression, and these two effects were stronger for adolescents with low social support than for those with high social support. It will be possible for researchers to gain a better understanding of the conditions, pathways, and effects of Internet addiction on depression in adolescents through the results of this study.

Sluggish cognitive tempo (Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome) symptoms are more associated with a higher risk of internet addiction and internet gaming disorder than ADHD symptoms: A study with medical students and resident doctors

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT), demographic factors, and Internet Addiction (IA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD) among medical students and resident doctors.

METHODS

The study included 274 medical students and resident doctors. (Ages:18-35, 70.4% female). Fisher exact test, Contingency Table analyses, Mann Whithey-U Test and structural equation model-path analysis were used for analysis. The Sociodemographic Information Form, ASRS Scale, Barkley SCT Scale, Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Form and The Digital Game Addiction Scale were utilized to collect data.

RESULTS

In the sample, 48 participants (17.51%, 22 female, 26 male) were classified as having a high-risk internet gaming disorder (IGD+), while 53 participants (19.3%, 37 female, 16 male) were classified as having a high-risk internet addiction (IA+). SCT Scale Daydreaming and Sluggishness scores, as well as ASRS Scale Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity ratings, were all substantially higher in high-risk groups (for all, p < 0.05). Instead of age, there was no difference between high and low-risk groups, but men had a significantly greater rate of high risk- IGD (%32.1 vs. 11.4; p = 0.001). Path analysis revealed that while older age has a substantial negative effect (β = -0.37, p = 0.001) on increased risk of IA, Inattention (β = 0.19, p = 0.028), Daydreaming (β = 0.62, p0.001), and Sluggishness ( β = 1.12, p0.001) had significant positive effects. On the other hand, results revealed that male gender (β = 5.08, p0.001), IA scores (β = 0.21, p0.001), and only Sluggishness ( = 0.52, p = 0.002), but not Inattention, Hyperactivity/impulsivity, or Daydreaming, have positive effects on greater risk of internet gaming disorder (IGD).

CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS

Our study is the first to show that SCT symptoms increase the risk of Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder even when ADHD symptoms are controlled. To date, many research have highlighted the necessity of ADHD treatment when evaluating IA and IGD. However, SCT symptoms have a greater impact on people who are predisposed to these behavioral addictions, and despite high comorbidity rates, various treatment approaches for ADHD and SCT are effective. SCT should be kept in mind when assessing treatment-resistant individuals with IA and IGD.

Association between Facebook Addiction, Depression, and Emotional Regulation among Women

Facebook has grown to be one of the most widely used communication platforms. A new condition linked with widespread use has emerged with its expanding popularity: Facebook addiction. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used in the current study, in two randomly selected villages (Elmanial and Batra) and one town (Talkha city) affiliated with Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Data were collected from women only through using a self-administered socio-demographic questionnaire, Facebook addiction scale, Beck depression inventory-II, and emotional regulation scale. The study found 83.7% of the studied women reported moderate emotional regulation; 27.9% had moderate Facebook addiction, and 23.9% reported mild depression. The study concluded there was a significant negative correlation between Facebook addiction and emotional regulation.

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.

Parental control and adolescent internet addiction: the moderating effect of parent-child relationships

Introduction

The present study investigated how maternal and paternal controls, including behavioral and psychological controls, predict adolescent Internet addiction, as well as the potential moderating effects of adolescent gender and parent-child relationships on the predictions.

Methods

Data were collected from 1,974 Chinese adolescents (age range = 14-22; mean = 16.47; SD = 0.87; 1,099 girls) in Guizhou Province, mainland China in November 2021. Internet addiction was measured using the ten-item Internet Addiction Test developed by Kimberly Young, and Parental control and parent-child relationships were measured by the respective subscales derived from the validated Chinese Parent-Child Subsystem Quality Scale.

Results

Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that after the covariates were statistically controlled, both parents' behavioral controls showed significant negative predictions on adolescent Internet addiction, while their psychological control tended to positively predict Internet addiction among adolescents, although the effect was only marginal. In addition, the impacts of maternal and paternal controls were equal, and such impacts did not vary between sons and daughters. While adolescent gender was not a significant moderator, the parent-child relationship quality significantly moderated the effects of paternal behavioral control, paternal psychological control, and maternal psychological control on adolescents' Internet addiction. Specifically, the prediction of paternal behavioral control was stronger while the effect of paternal and maternal psychological control was weaker among adolescents with a positive father-child relationship than those with a moderate or poor father-child relationship.

Discussion

These findings indicate the protective function of parents' behavioral control and the negative impact of psychological control on the development of adolescent Internet addiction. Further, a positive relationship between the father and the adolescent can strengthen the positive effect of paternal behavioral control and mitigate the negative effects of both parents' psychological controls.

Association Between Internet Use, Sleep, Cognition and Physical Activity Levels During COVID-19 Lockdown

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare internet usage, sleep, cognition and physical activity in college professors and collegiate students during COVID-19 lockdown and to study the association of internet overuse with sleep quality, cognition and physical activity during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods

A sample of 125 participants {professors (n = 52) and collegiate students (n = 73)} was recruited from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India. Criteria for inclusion were college professors and collegiate students who uses internet. Both the groups were assessed for internet usage (Internet Addiction Test), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), cognition (Cognitive Failure Questionnaire) and physical activity (Global Physical Activity Questionnaire) via google forms.

Results

There was a significant difference for internet usage (p < 0.05), sleep quality (p = 0.032), cognition (distractibility, p = 0.019) and physical activity in college professors and collegiate students. It has been also reported that there was a significant association of internet usage with sleep quality and cognition and sleep quality with cognition.

Conclusion

Students have more problematic internet usage, bad sleep quality, more cognitive failures and less physical activity than college professors during pandemic lockdown. It has been also observed that problematic internet usage has correlation with sleep quality, cognition and physical activity.

Internet addiction-induced brain structure and function alterations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity studies

Internet addiction (IA) is a growing social concern and has been intensively studied in recent years. Previous imaging studies have shown that IA may impair brain structure and function, but with no robust conclusions. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies in IA. Two separate meta-analyses were conducted for voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) studies. All meta-analyses were performed using two analysis methods activation likelihood estimation (ALE) and seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI). The ALE analysis of VBM studies revealed less gray matter volume (GMV) in the supplementary motor area (SMA) (1176 mm³), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (one cluster size is 744 mm³ and the other is 688 mm³), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) (624 mm³) in subjects with IA. The SDM-PSI analysis showed less GMV in the ACC (56 voxels). The ALE analysis of rsFC studies showed stronger rsFC from posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (880 mm³) or insula (712 mm³) to the whole brain in subjects with IA; however, the SDM-PSI analysis revealed no obvious rsFC alteration. These changes may underlie the core symptoms of IA, which include emotional regulation disorder, distraction, and impaired executive control. Our results reflect the common features of neuroimaging studies related to IA in recent years and may potentially help inform the development of more effective diagnostic and treatment approaches.

Hikikomori Syndrome and Digital Technologies: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Hikikomori syndrome (HS) is a voluntary prolonged social isolation associated with personal and community impact. Previous evidence pointed out a possible relationship between this syndrome with addiction to digital technologies. Here we aim to understand the relationship between HS and digital technology use, overuse, and addictive behaviors, as well as potential therapeutic approaches.We conducted a systematic review of observational and intervention studies available in PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, IBECS, Embase, PsycINFO, and SciELO databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA 2020) criteria. The risk of bias was assessed with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) and Consensus-based Clinical Case Reporting Guideline Development (CARE). Eligibility criteria were pre-, at-risk populations, or those with HS diagnosis, and any kind of technological overuse. Seventeen studies were included in the review, of which eight were cross-sectional, eight were case reports, and one was quasi-experimental. Hikikomori syndrome was associated with addition to digital technologies; no cultural differences were found. Environmental factors, such as a history of bullying, low self-esteem, and grief were identified as precursors of addictive behaviors. The included articles addressed addiction to digital technologies, electronic games, and social networks, among others, in HS. HS is cross-culturally associated with such addiction. The management of these patients remains challenging, and no target evidence-based treatments have been developed. The studies included in this review had several limitations, and more studies with a higher level of evidence are needed to support the results.

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.

Investigating problematic uses of Facebook and other Internet activities among university students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic

Problematic use of Internet (PUI) and problematic use of Facebook (PUF) has been linked to escalating behavioral health issues among university students and has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study estimated the prevalence of and explored associated factors for PUI and PUF among Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken among 1101 Bangladeshi university students between November and December 2020. The Internet Addiction Test and Facebook Addiction Scale were used to assess PIU and PUF, respectively. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounders. Among the participants, PUI and PUF were found in 39.3% and 37.1%, respectively. The multiple linear regression model indicated PUI was significantly associated with participants residing in a village, arts majors, those unsatisfied with their major, having mediocre parental relationships, failure in romantic relationships, physical comorbidities, longer use of the Internet, using the Internet for purposes other than education, using social media, and downloading movies/TV series. PUF was significantly associated with village residence, lower income, arts majors, failure in romantic relationships, longer use of the Internet, using the Internet for purposes other than education, and downloading movies/TV series. Both PUI and PUF have been prevalent among Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal & exploratory studies are warranted in the future to identify causal factors for PUI and PUF and appropriate interventions should be designed quickly for this population.

Multigroup analysis of the relationship loneliness, fear of missing out, problematic internet usage and peer perception in gifted and normally developing adolescents

The current study examined the effects of Internet usage characteristics and peer perception on loneliness. The mediating role of Internet usage characteristics was examined in the relationship between loneliness and peer perception. The sample included 661 Turkish adolescents (N_girls =379, 57.34%; N_gifted= 211, 31.92%) aged 11-18 years. Structural equation model analyzes were conducted to test the hypothesis model across the group. Moreover, multigroup structural model was conducted to test the differences of the relationships across gifted and normally developing adolescents. The results of the structural model showed that Internet use characteristics did not have a mediating role in the relationship between adolescents' peer perception and loneliness. On the other hand, problematic Internet use had a full mediator role in the relationship between fear of missing out and loneliness. The results of the multigroup structural model emphasized the similar effects between the research variables in gifted and normally developing adolescents. The results were discussed with the effects of Internet use characteristics and peer perception on loneliness. We also pointed out that gifted and normally developing adolescents have similar social and technological outcomes and that these outcomes influence mental health.

Social Motivation as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Problematic Internet Use and Alcohol Use Among Adolescents in Mexico

BACKGROUND

Prior research shows a link between alcohol use and problematic Internet use among adolescents. This relationship likely indicates a vulnerability to addiction; however, little is known about factors that may increase this vulnerability. One potential factor is social motivation. Adolescents often engage in Internet use and alcohol use as a way of connecting socially. This study examines the moderating effects of social motivation for Internet use on the relationship between problematic Internet use and alcohol use among adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered to 582 adolescents selected randomly from one middle school and one high school in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Participants answered questions related to demographics/background (including reasons for Internet use), problematic Internet use, and alcohol use. Hierarchical regression modeling examined the moderating effects of social Internet use on problematic Internet use and alcohol use, controlling for age and gender.

RESULTS

Social Internet use and problematic Internet use accounted for a significant amount of variance in alcohol use (R2 = .126, F(4, 575) = 20.77, p < .001). When the interaction term was entered, social Internet use was found to moderate the relationship between problematic Internet use and alcohol use (β = .525, t = 3.293, p = .001), and the direct effects of social Internet use (β = -.062, t = -0.663, p = .507) and problematic Internet use (β = -.129, t = -1.053, p = .293) were no longer significant.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the role that social connections may play in contributing to problematic Internet use and alcohol use among adolescents. Interventions aimed at preventing problematic and addictive behaviors among adolescents should address the role of social motivations.

Changes of internet behavior of adolescents across the period of COVID-19 pandemic in China

During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet use and gaming of adolescents had been elevated. On the one hand, internet use and gaming in the period was a good approach to killing quarantined time. However, the increased use of the internet and game of adolescents may also increase the risk of internet addiction. This study aimed to describe the internet behavior changes of adolescents and to understand the impact of clinical features on internet addiction after the adolescents back to school in COVID-19 period. We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study using data collected through online investigation in China. Six hundred and twenty-five adolescents completed the online survey. Results indicated that internet addiction, having gaming use behaviors, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Conduct subscale scores and the SDQ Prosocial subscale scores before the COVID-19 outbreak were significant in predicting the internet addiction after the adolescents back to school. The proportion of internet addiction and gaming behaviors among adolescents in China was changed across the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical features before the COVID-19 pandemic could predict Internet addiction risk after the adolescents back to school.

Psychometric properties of the Smartphone Addiction Inventory - Short Form (SPAI-SF) in Brazilian adolescents

The Smartphone Addiction Inventory - Short Form (SPAI-SF) is shorter version (10 items) of the original version of SPAI (26 items). In this study, we aimed to: (i) adapt and test the internal structure of the SPAI-SF, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA), and network analysis; (ii) analyze the internal consistency, temporal stability, criterion, predictive and construct validities of the SPAI-SF. A total of 392 adolescents (M = 12.76; SD = 1.00) completed the following measures: demographic questionnaire, SPAI-SF, Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The CFA showed good fit indices with the original four factors, and MGCFA indicated measurement invariance for gender. Network analysis provided an understanding of the core symptoms of problematic smartphone use (PSU) for both boys and girls. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.865 (95% CI: 0.841 - 0.887) and indicated a robust temporal stability. The instrument demonstrated acceptable overall reliability measured by Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's Omega criteria (α = 0.722; ω = 0.725) and did not show floor and ceiling effects. The scale's significant correlations demonstrated convergent and criterion validities of the SPAI-SF with SAS-SV, IAT, and Smartphone usage data. The SPAI-SF is a reliable instrument to detect PSU in adolescents.

Associations between 24-h Movement Behavior and Internet Addiction in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between 24-h activity behavior and Chinese adolescents' Internet addiction.

METHODS

A survey of 2045 adolescents (56.5% boys) was conducted, and adolescents' 24-h movement behavior and Internet addiction were measured via a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the basic situation of the respondents; chi-square analysis was used to compare gender differences, and logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between 24-h exercise guide entries and Internet addiction.

RESULTS

From the number of 24-h movement behavior guides, 25.3% of the children did not meet the recommended amount of any kind of activity behavior guide, while 50.4% and 21.7% of the children reached the recommended amount of one and two activity behavior guidelines, respectively; only 3.2% of the children met the recommended amount of all three activity behavior guidelines. Adolescents who did not meet the recommended 24-h activity behavior guidelines were more likely to have Internet addiction (OR = 8.46, 95 CI = 3.06-23.36), and were more likely to have one item (OR = 4.50, 95 CI = 1.64-12.39) or two items (OR = 3.12, 95 CI = 1.11-8.74).

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity, static behavior, and sleep may all have a greater impact on adolescents' Internet addiction, among which physical activity has a greater impact on adolescents' Internet addiction. Different combinations of 24-h movement behavior have different effects on adolescents' Internet addiction.

Grit Perseverance, Not Passion, Moderates the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition/Approach System and Internet Addiction in Adolescents

Background

Research on the links between the behavioral inhibition and approach systems (BIS/BAS), and internet addiction (IA) in adolescents has been inconclusive. BIS/BAS may interact with adolescent trait characteristics, resulting in different outcomes. Grit may alter adolescents' motivations, which can even be based on biological systems such as BIS/BAS. However, the impact of BIS/BAS and potential moderating factors on adolescents' internet use remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between BIS/BAS and IA in adolescents and explore the potential moderating roles of the two facts of grit, passion and perseverance, on the association between BIS/BAS and IA.

Methods

A total of 1,881 junior and senior high school students (M_age = 14.65, standard deviation _age = 1.81, ranging from 11 to 20 years) completed a self-reported measure of BIS/BAS, IA, and grit. Independent t-tests and chi-square tests were used to evaluate the differences between adolescents with IA and those with normal internet use. Pearson correlation and regression model analyses, including moderating model analysis, were used to qualify the associations between IA and BIS/BAS, as well as the potential moderating role of grit passion and perseverance.

Results

The results showed that 19.1% of the participants met the criteria for IA. Both BIS (β = 0.085, t = 3.650, p < 0.001) and BAS (β = 0.06, t = 2.552, p < 0.05) were positively associated with IA risk, and grit-perseverance moderated the association between BIS and IA (β = -0.230, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.450 to -0.012) and BAS with IA (β = -0.187, bootstrap 95% confidence interval: -0.299 to -0.076).

Conclusion

These findings extend the current knowledge on the associations between BIS/BAS and IA. Moreover, the findings suggest that enhancing grit-perseverance may improve prevention and intervention of IA risk in adolescents who are sensitive to BIS and BAS.

Structural and Functional Neural Correlates in Individuals with Excessive Smartphone Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Despite known association of internet addiction with a reduced brain volume and abnormal connectivity, the impact of excessive smartphone use remains unclear. Methods: PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrial.gov, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched from inception to July 2022 using appropriate keywords for observational studies comparing differences in brain volumes and activations between excessive smartphone users and individuals with regular use by magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Of the 11 eligible studies retrieved from 6993 articles initially screened, seven and six evaluated brain volumes and activations, respectively. The former enrolled 421 participants (165 excessive smartphone users vs. 256 controls), while the latter recruited 276 subjects with 139 excessive smartphone users. The results demonstrated a smaller brain volume in excessive smartphone users compared to the controls (g = −0.55, p < 0.001), especially in subcortical regions (p < 0.001). Besides, the impact was more pronounced in adolescents than in adults (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between impulsivity and volume reduction. Regarding altered activations, the convergences of foci in the declive of the posterior lobe of cerebellum, the lingual gyrus, and the middle frontal gyrus were noted. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated a potential association of excessive smartphone use with a reduced brain volume and altered activations.

Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Peritraumatic Distress, Attachment, and Alexithymia

The literature focused on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adult university students' mental health shows a significant increase in psychopathological symptoms and Internet Addiction (IA). The key role played by attachment and alexithymia has also been suggested, but no study has explored the possible dynamic relationship between these variables. We recruited a sample of n = 410 young adult university students online. We assessed the attachment to parents and peers (through IPPA), alexithymia (through TAS-20), peritraumatic distress symptoms due to COVID-19 (through CPDI), and IA (through IAT). The results showed that the relationship between the attachment to mothers and IA was partially mediated by alexithymia and by the serial mediation of alexithymia and peritraumatic distress, whereas the influence of the attachment to fathers on IA was fully mediated by peritraumatic distress. The direct effects of the attachment to peers on alexithymia, peritraumatic distress, and IA were all significant, as were the indirect paths via the simple mediation of both alexithymia and peritraumatic distress and the multiple serial mediation of alexithymia and peritraumatic distress. Our findings suggested that the relationship between attachment, alexithymia, and psychopathological risk is dynamic in predicting IA during the pandemic among young adult university students and that the different attachment figures exert a peculiar contribution to these processes.

Prevalence and determinants of Internet Addiction among medical students and its association with depression

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction has been a topic of discussion in the academic literature for many years. As of April 2020, about 60 % of the world's population (nearly 4.6 billion people) were active internet user in their early adulthood. The prevalence among adolescent and college students ranged from 0.9 % to 33 %. The current study aimed to explore internet addiction's prevalence and correlates among undergraduate medical students at an Egyptian university. Also, to assess the relationship between internet addiction, depression symptoms, and socioeconomic status.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 321 undergraduate medical students at Assiut University using the Internet Addiction Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Family Affluence Scale.

RESULTS

About 9 % of the study participants screened positive for internet addiction. The most important determinants among medical students were sex, mother's employment status, family affluence, depressive symptoms, and unmonitored internet access.

LIMITATIONS

We did not investigate another psychiatric disease, daily time of internet usage, most frequent time of usage, type of internet usage, and cost of use.

CONCLUSIONS

Internet Addiction is an important psychological problem affecting about 9 % of Assiut university medical students during their undergraduate stage, which may interfere with their lives and studies. Students with lower Internet addiction rates were female students whose mothers were employed, lived in a low affluence family, had fewer depressive symptoms, and had unmonitored internet privacy.

Altered Resting-State Network in Adolescents with Problematic Internet Use

Problematic internet use (PIU) is increasingly recognized as a mental health concern, particularly among adolescents. The resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the triple-network model has been described inconsistently in PIU. Using resting-state fMRI (rsFMRI) and hypothesizing a lower rsFC between default mode (DMN) and central executive networks (CEN) but a higher rsFC within the salience network (SN), this study scrutinized the neural substrates of PIU adolescents. A total of 30 adolescents with PIU and 30 control subjects underwent rsFMRI. The severity of PIU was evaluated by the Internet Addiction Test. Additionally, personality traits as well as emotional and behavioral problems were evaluated by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), respectively. Focusing on the DMN, SN, and CEN, we compared rsFC values between PIU and the control. Subsequently, within the combined group of subjects, TCI and SDQ correlation and mediation effects were investigated. Higher rsFC values of the left lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC(L)) with the left anterior insula (aIns(L)) were observed for PIU than for the control, while rsFCs of the LPFC(L) with the medial PFC (MPFC), LPFC(L), as well as with the right lateral parietal cortex (LP(R)) were lower for PIU. Among these significant group differences, the rsFC between the LPFC(L) and MPFC was mediated by emotional symptoms (standardized β = −0.12, 95% CI −0.29, −0.0052). The dysfunctional attention switching and incentive salience regulated by the SN were implicated as being a neural correlate of PIU, and this relationship would in part be explained by the emotional dysregulation associated with PIU in adolescents.

Vorbereitung eines Onlinetrainings für Eltern von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen mit Internetnutzungsstörungen

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Eltern von Jugendlichen oder jungen Erwachsenen mit Internetnutzungsstörungen (INS), im Speziellen Computerspielstörungen (CSS) und Soziale Netzwerknutzungsstörungen (SNS), können auf die Symptomatik ihrer Kinder Einfluss nehmen. E-Mental-Health Angebote fehlen für diese Zielgruppe jedoch. Fragestellung: Welche Bedarfe haben Eltern, die die Internetnutzung ihres Kindes als problematisch betrachten, an ein Onlinetraining? Methode: 217 Elternteile wurden online befragt. Der Fragebogen enthielt die Compulsive Internet Use Scale in einer Elternperspektive, Fragen zu den Bedarfen an ein Onlinetraining (z. B. Umfang, Dauer, Kontaktmöglichkeit) und zur eigenen Belastung durch die Problematik des Kindes. Ergebnisse: 57 % der Eltern äußerten Interesse an einem Onlinetraining. 82 % gaben an, dass persönlicher digitaler Kontakt in einem solchen Training für sie wichtig sei. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Da viele der befragten Eltern Interesse an einem Onlinetraining zeigten, wurde ein solches entwickelt, dessen Umrisse in diesem Beitrag vorgestellt werden.

Digital Competence, Use, Actions and Time Dedicated to Digital Devices: Repercussions on the Interpersonal Relationships of Spanish Adolescents

Digital media play a fundamental role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents, since they involve a very significant use and investment of time at this age. The objectives of this work are twofold: analyze the use of the Internet and digital devices by Spanish young people outside school, and the time they use them and their attitude towards the use of digital devices, as well as to identify the effects of the use of internet and digital devices on social and interpersonal relationships. The sample is composed of 35,943 students of Compulsory Secondary Education, from different Spanish high schools that participated in the PISA 2018 Report. The data provided by this study confirm the widespread consumption of digital devices. Identified as actions that they carry out every day were: the use of online chat, use of social networks to contact their friends, and surfing the internet for fun. Regarding the attitude towards digital devices, the participants say they feel comfortable using digital devices and discovering new applications or games. However, we also found as one of the most relevant results of this study the fact that participants say they feel bad if they do not have internet connection.

Adolescent mobile phone addiction during the COVID-19 pandemic predicts subsequent suicide risk: a two-wave longitudinal study

Both the rate of mobile phone addiction and suicidality among adolescents have increased during the pandemic lockdown. However, the relationship between mobile phone addiction and suicide risk and the underlying psychological mechanisms remains unknown. This study examined the associations between mobile phone addiction in adolescents during the first month of lockdown and the suicide risk in the subsequent five months. A two-wave short-term longitudinal web-based survey was conducted on 1609 senior high school students (mean age = 16.53 years, SD = 0.97 years; 63.5% female). At Time 1 (T1), the severity of mobile phone addiction and basic demographic information was collected from Feb 24 to 28, 2020 in Sichuan Province, China (at the pandemic’s peak). Five months later, between July 11 and July 23 (Time 2, T2), mobile phone addiction, daytime sleepiness, depression, and suicidality were measured within the past five months. The regression analysis revealed that mobile phone addiction during quarantine directly predicted suicidality within the next five months, even after controlling for the effect of depression and daytime sleepiness. Meanwhile, mobile phone addiction at T1 also indirectly predicted suicidality at T2, with depression and daytime sleepiness mediating this association. Programs targeting improvement of daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms may be particularly effective in reducing suicide risk among adolescents with mobile phone addiction.

Current Status of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in Japan: New Lifestyle-Related Disease in Children and Adolescents

The World Health Organization recognizes internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a disorder that causes problems in daily life as a result of excessive interest in online games. The causes of IGD have become more apparent in recent years. Because of prolonged exposure to games, the mechanisms controlling the reward system, such as the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, and amygdala of the cerebrum, do not function properly in IGD. This mechanism is similar to that of various behavioral addictions, such as gambling addiction. IGD is particularly risky in children and adolescents because it easily causes brain dysfunction, especially in the developing brain. IGD should be regarded as a new lifestyle-related disease in younger individuals, and lifestyle modifications, including counseling and family therapy, are critical for its management.