The functions of internet use and their social and psychological consequences

The Impact of Social Media on Users' Self-Efficacy and Loneliness: An Analysis of the Mediating Mechanism of Social Support

Purpose

The integration of social media into all areas of society has become a typical phenomenon of the Internet era. This study's core objective is to dissect the relationship between social media, self-efficacy and loneliness, especially emphasizing the mediating function of social support.

Patients and Methods

The research data is derived from the pooled cross-sectional data combined from the four-period data of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression as the basic research method, and utilizes Instrumental Variables (IV) and other methods to conduct robustness checks.

Results

Social media usage frequency (SMUF) enhances self-efficacy and loneliness through social support. Social support promotes self-efficacy and alleviates users' loneliness. In self-efficacy, social support plays a fully mediating role. Moreover, education (human capital) has a significant moderating effect. There are noticeable differences in the response of different characteristics groups to SMUF.

Conclusion

This study reveals how social media impacts self-efficacy and loneliness through social support. Based on the research results, avoiding prolonged usage of social media and improving digital literacy are the crucial means to exert the positive benefits of social media.

Does WeChat use intensity influence Chinese college students' mental health through social use of WeChat, entertainment use of WeChat, and bonding social capital?

Background

Previous research notes that the usage of WeChat is significantly related to individuals' mental health, but the underlying mechanism is still not completely discovered. The present study aimed to explore the sequential mediating roles of WeChat use motivations and bonding social capital on the effects of WeChat use intensity on mental health in Chinese college students.

Method

The present study adopted an online survey with a total of 487 Chinese college students. Correlation analysis and serial mediation analysis were measured by process regarding the hypothesis.

Results

The study presented findings indicating that WeChat use intensity had both direct and indirect impacts on the levels of life satisfaction and loneliness experienced by college students in China. Specifically, the utilization of WeChat for social motivation and entertainment motivation was found to have a suppressive effect on the relationship between the intensity of WeChat usage and individuals' life satisfaction. The association between the intensity of WeChat usage and mental health outcomes (life satisfaction and loneliness) was found to be mediated by bonding social capital. Furthermore, the association between the intensity of WeChat usage and mental health was found to be mediated by the sequential mediation effects of using WeChat for social motivation and bonding social capital, as well as the sequential mediation effects of using WeChat for entertainment motivation and bonding social capital.

Conclusion

Our findings provide implications for policymakers and social workers regarding renovating the perceptions of the relationships between WeChat use intensity and overall mental health. Specifically, practical online activities and services of SNSs are recommended to be designed for meeting social and recreational gratifications and boosting bonding social capital, which in turn promotes psychological wellbeing.

Risks of passive use of social network sites in youth athletes: a moderated mediation analysis

Background

With the popularity of social media platforms, the use of social networks challenges the well-being and mental health of athletes.

Motivation

Despite ongoing scholarly discussions about the effects of passive use of social network sites, few studies have examined the relationship between the passive use of social network sites and mental health in young athletes from a social comparison perspective.

Hypothesis

To address this research gap, we draw on the social comparison and developmental systems theories to explore the mediating effect of upward social comparison on passive social network site use and mental health, as well as the moderating effects of positive psychological capital.

Methods

We analyzed data about 350 young athletes from professional Chinese sports universities.

Results

As predicted, passive use of social network sites by young athletes increased anxiety (β = 0.26, p < 0.001) and decreased subjective well-being (β = -0.35, p < 0.001). Upward social comparisons had positive (β = 0.22, p < 0.001) and negative (β = -0.34, p < 0.001) mediating effects in passive social network site use and anxiety/subjective well-being. Positive psychological capital played a moderating effect between upward social comparison and anxiety (β = -0.28, p < 0.001), and subjective well-being (β = 0.24, p < 0.001); the moderated mediation effect was also supported.

Conclusion

Our study informs the current research by highlighting the importance of upward social comparison as a critical mechanism and positive psychological capital as a boundary condition. We suggest actively maintaining and enhancing positive psychological capital to mitigate the adverse effects of upward social comparison.

The impact of internet use on residents' happiness in China

Using data from the 2018 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study investigates the impact of internet use on residents' happiness. Empirical results show that internet use significantly enhances residents' happiness. Considering the possible endogeneity problem, a two-stage tool variable estimation is carried out with ownership of a mobile phone as the tool variable. After overcoming the endogenous problem and conducting a series of robustness tests, the conclusion is still valid. The action mechanism finds that social interaction frequency and socioeconomic status (SES) play significant mediating effects in the process of internet use affecting happiness. Specifically, internet use significantly increases the social interaction frequency of residents and enhances their SES. The improvement of social interaction frequency and SES will significantly increase residents' happiness. Therefore, this paper gives policy recommendations from the perspectives of regulating and deepening internet use, increasing the frequency of communication among residents, and improving their SES to better enhance their happiness.

The relationship between internet use preference and loneliness among college students during COVID-19: The chain mediating effect of online social support and self-esteem

The outbreak of COVID-19, especially the demands of social interaction and spatial distancing behavior, has led to a surge in Internet use, which has also led to an increase in loneliness. Therefore, we investigated the role of online social support and self-esteem in the relationship between Internet use preference and loneliness. In this study, 1053 college students were surveyed with a questionnaire based on the framework of Ecological System Theory, and a chain mediation model was established to clarify the mechanism between Internet use preference and loneliness. The results show that Internet use preference not only positively predicts loneliness, but also indirectly influences loneliness through the mediators of online social support and self-esteem, thereby impacting loneliness through the "online social support → self-esteem" chain. The results also indicate the need to pay attention to college students' mental health status during COVID-19. The advent of COVID-19 has impacted people's lifestyles and has changed the impact of the Internet on individual mental health. This study provides a new way to further understand college students' Internet use preferences, online social support, self-esteem, and loneliness status during COVID-19. It provides targeted interventions for college students' loneliness during COVID-19.

Individual and Parental Factors of Adolescents' mHealth App Use: Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the characteristics of adolescents who use mobile health (mHealth) apps to monitor health and how these characteristics differ from those of app nonusers is limited.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine mHealth app use based on adolescent and parental factors, including sociodemographics, digital skills, and health indicators, in a nationally representative sample of Czech adolescents (N=2500).

METHODS

Adolescents aged 11 to 16 years and one of their parents participated in an online survey in 2021. A professional research agency recruited the participants. Quotas were used to ensure the sample's representativeness. The sociodemographic factors were the adolescents' age, gender, and parental perceived financial security. The adolescents also provided information about their screen time, eHealth literacy, BMI, health anxiety, physical activity, and sleep quality. Parents reported their digital skills, mobile phone attitudes, and the mediation of their children's online health information-seeking behaviors. We evaluated the differences between the users and nonusers of mHealth apps and identified the significant predictors of mHealth app use. Next, we separately examined how these factors were associated with the use of mHealth apps that track calorie intake or expenditure, number of steps, weight, or sports activity (eg, exercise, running, and working out), as well as other mHealth apps (eg, those that track sleep and heart rate).

RESULTS

More than half of the adolescents (1429/2455, 58.21%) reported using mHealth apps. App users were relatively older and, more often, girls. Apps that counted the number of steps were used most frequently, and adolescents whose parents reported higher perceived financial security used them more regularly. Overall, being older and physically active and having higher eHealth literacy skills were associated with using mHealth apps. Adolescents with higher BMI, health anxiety, and lower sleep quality more frequently used mHealth apps to track calorie intake or expenditure, weight, and health indicators. mHealth apps to track physical activity were used more regularly by girls. There was a positive association between parental mediation of online health information-seeking behaviors and adolescents' mHealth app use.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrated that older age, physical activity, and eHealth literacy skills were the common underlying factors of adolescents' mHealth app use. We initially showed parents as significant role models for their children's adoption of, and engagement with, mHealth apps when they actively mediate their online health information-seeking behaviors. Improving the eHealth literacy skills of adolescents through parental guidance might enhance health technology use in this population. Tracking eating behaviors, weight, and health were more prevalent for adolescents who reported higher BMI, health anxiety, and lower sleep quality. Future research studies should examine the determinants and health outcomes of adolescents' mHealth app use longitudinally.

Does internet use promote mental health among middle-aged and older adults in China?

In recent years, China's Internet penetration rate has increased, and the scale of middle-aged and older adults' netizen has continued to expand. However, the impact of internet use on mental health remains controversial. This paper analyzes 14,497 middle-aged and older adults' valid respondents in the 2018 Chinese Family Panel Study (CFPS2018) to evaluate the impact of Internet use on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults and its intermediary mechanisms. The findings show that moderate use of the Internet can significantly reduce depression levels and boost cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. But excessive internet use will also lead to increased levels of depression and decreased cognitive function. Different Internet use purposes will also lead to different psychological states. Online socializing, entertainment and business activities can significantly reduce depression levels and promote cognitive functions. Online studying and working only have positive effects on cognitive functions, which have no significant relationship to depression levels. In addition, analysis of the mediation effect found that life satisfaction is a path mechanism for Internet use and affect different dimensions of mental health.

Does Internet Connect to Social Justice Perception in China?

The world has witnessed an important and dramatic transition during the past decades, with social and economic challenges related to the advancement of digital technologies. Meanwhile, inequalities of distributions of resources and opportunities obstinately exist around the world. This study innovates by utilizing household survey datasets to empirically evaluate the impact of Internet utilization on individual's perception toward social justice in China. Estimates suggest that Internet utilization generates a significant negative effect on perceived social justice (in general, -5%). In China, there are 1.032 billion Internet users by the end of 2021, accounting for 73% of the total population (China Internet Network Information Center). It suggests that 3.65% of the population, around 5 million people, might consider the current society is injustice if all circumstances remain unchanged. For robustness checks, we not only run multivariate regressions, implemented different model specification, and used alternative measures as well as datasets, but also approached instrumental variable estimation with regional rainfall for causal inference. Consistent conclusions are found. Also, we found stronger negative effects among male, eastern provinces, and urban area samples. To the end, our results shed lights on policy implication, for example, Internet associated public interventions can be focused on justice cultivation and information transparency.

Research to Clinical Practice-Youth seeking mental health information online and its impact on the first steps in the patient journey

BACKGROUND

Online searches about anxiety and depression are recorded every 3-5 s. As such, information and communication technologies (ICT) have enormous potential to enable or impair help-seeking and patient-professional interactions. Youth studies indicate that ICT searches are undertaken before initial mental health consultations, but no publications have considered how this online activity affects the first steps of the patient journey in youth mental health settings.

METHODS

State-of-the-art review using an iterative, evidence mapping approach to identify key literature and expert consensus to synthesize and prioritise clinical and research issues.

RESULTS

Adolescents and young adults are more likely to seek health advice via online search engines or social media platforms than from a health professional. Young people not only search user-generated content and social media to obtain advice and support from online communities but increasingly contribute personal information online.

CONCLUSIONS

A major clinical challenge is to raise professional awareness of the likely impact of this activity on mental health consultations. Potential strategies range from modifying the structure of clinical consultations to ensure young people are able to disclose ICT activities related to mental health, through to the development and implementation of 'internet prescriptions' and a youth-focused 'toolkit'.

Effects of Internet Use on Well-Being in Rural China

Given the rapid development of internet and dramatic change it has brought to human life, this study examines the effect of internet use on well-being in rural China. Findings indicate that the act of engaging with internet and the increase in its usage frequency both have significant positive effects on well-being in rural China, whereas the effect attenuates with the increase of usage frequency. These results imply that internet use features diminishing marginal returns. In the sub-groups divided by education and age, the higher educated and the younger groups use internet more frequently. However, internet use significantly promotes well-being of the lower educated, the middle-aged and the elderly groups, and its effect on the higher educated and the younger groups is insignificant. A further analysis uncovers that internet use increase well-being through relieving loneliness. This study affirms the benefits of internet in rural China, but obsessive internet use could offset the benefits. Thus, the implication of using internet appropriately are highlighted.

A randomised controlled trial of the Nextdoor Kind Challenge: a study protocol

Background

Community interventions are often promoted as a way of reducing loneliness and social isolation in our neighbourhoods. However, those community interventions are rarely examined within rigorous study designs. One strategy that holds the potential to reduce loneliness and can promote health and wellbeing is doing acts of kindness. The current study involves evaluating the impact of kindness acts on loneliness in community-dwelling individuals using an online social networking platform.

Methods

This study is made up of three randomised controlled trials conducted in three countries. Each randomised controlled trial has two arms (intervention vs waitlist control) and is designed to compare the effectiveness of the KIND challenge, which involves doing at least one act of kindness per week within a four-week period. This study will recruit users of an online community, be randomised online, and will be conducted using online assessments. We will first explore the effects of the intervention on the primary outcome of loneliness, followed by secondary outcomes, social isolation, neighbour relationship quality and contact, mental health symptoms, stress, quality of life, and positive affect. Further, we will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the KIND Challenge.

Discussion

This study, designed to evaluate the impact of kindness on the community, will be the first large scale randomised control trial conducted across three countries, Australia, UK, and USA. It will examine the potential of community-led interventions to reduce loneliness, improve social isolation, and promote neighbourhood cohesion, health, and wellbeing, which is especially crucial during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials Registry. NCT04398472. Registered 21st May 2020.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11489-y.

The Impact of an Internet Use Promotion Programme on Communication, Internet Use, and the Extent of Social Networks among Low-Income Older Adults

We examined whether an internet use promotion intervention influences low-income older adults’ communication modes, internet use, and social networks using existing data collected for an intervention. Participants living in public senior housing facilities in the United States (n = 77) completed surveys before and after a 12-week computer and internet training. The six-item Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) was used to measure the extent of older adults’ social networks. The primary mode of communication shifted from more traditional means to internet-based communications (p < .0005 in a Fisher’s exact test). The frequency of internet use significantly increased (p < .00005 in a one-sided Sign test). Overall, the LSNS-6 score increased by 4.1 points (p < .00005 in a Welch’s t-test). The LSNS-6 score increase was significantly larger among African Americans than Whites, controlling for gender (p < .05 in negative binomial regression). Moderate (p < .005) and frequent internet users (p < .05) had higher LSNS-6 scores than rare internet users at posttest when gender and race were controlled for in linear regression. Comparatively more improvement in the extent of social networks among African Americans suggests greater benefits of such interventions for population groups of disadvantaged backgrounds. Larger social networks among moderate and frequent internet users than rare users suggest positive impacts of internet communications on social networks.

Problematic Internet Usage and Self-Esteem in Chinese Undergraduate Students: The Mediation Effects of Individual Affect and Relationship Satisfaction

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the mediating effects of individual affect and relationship satisfaction on the relationship between self-esteem and Problematic Internet Use (PIU). Affect was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), relationship satisfaction was assessed using a positive and negative semantic dimension scale, self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and PIU was measured using the Problematic Internet Use scale with a sample of 507 Chinese university students (Mage = 20.41 years, SD = 2.49). The relationships between the variables were tested using structural equation modelling with a multiple mediation model. The results revealed that negative affect and the negative semantic dimensions of relationship satisfaction mediated the relationship between self-esteem and PIU. The implications of the results and the study’s theoretical contributions are discussed.

Designing virtual communities of practice for informal caregivers of Alzheimer's patients: An integrative review

The main aim of this study is to review the literature to show how ideas around virtual communities of practice (VCoP) offer a model for supporting informal caregivers of Alzheimer's patients (caregivers) to learn how to deal with caregiving demands. Caregivers are individuals who have a significant personal relationship with and provide a broad range of unpaid assistance to an older person or an adult with a chronic or disabling condition outside of a professional or formal framework. This review will examine the current evidence on the needs of caregivers, identify dimensions to be considered in VCoP design and suggest further directions of research. The investigation is an integrative review that builds a bridge between different areas of work. The outcome is eleven dimensions for the design of successful VCoPs for caregivers: Network Structure, Technology, Moderator, Scale, Alignment, Community Design, Sense of Trust, Knowledge Sharing, Sustainability, Ethics and Evaluation. In addition, we propose a Tree Metaphor to present our research results. Well-designed interventions based on VCoP principles have the potential of addressing caregivers' needs.

Association Between Technology Use and Social Integration Among Veterans With Disabilities

Social connectedness has positive effects on physical and mental health. Many aspects of life, including social networks, are increasingly technology-based, influenced by access to computers. Individuals with psychiatric disabilities may experience unique barriers to computer use. The current study evaluated computer use among 199 veterans in Connecticut and Houston, Texas, with psychiatric and/or physical disabilities, and its association with social integration. Two-thirds had used a computer within the past month, most commonly for information seeking, but also for social interaction. However, computer use and social integration were not significantly associated. The study suggests a greater rate of computer use than anticipated, encouraging given society's increasing reliance on technology. Future research into experience with other modalities is needed, as is research into veterans' willingness and desire to use technology for various purposes.

Reply Speed as Nonverbal Cue in Text Messaging with a Read Receipt Display Function

In text messaging via mobile devices, many users face pressure to rapidly exchange messages. This study investigates reply speeds in smartphone messaging, focusing on messaging with a read receipt function, which notifies the sender of whether the recipient has read a sent message. Using a questionnaire targeting 213 female college students in Japan, we investigate the time until negative emotions (sadness, anxiety, anger and guilt) which occur while waiting for a reply. The authors also address factors of messaging dependency, and find that negative emotions arise in significantly less time when waiting for a reply to a read message than an unread one. Further, most negative emotions occur significantly earlier in high-dependency groups than in low-dependency groups when waiting for a reply in either status. These effects differed in part depending on the type of emotion and recipient. The authors discuss these findings in the context of reply speed as a nonverbal cue.

The decline in adolescent substance use across Europe and North America in the early twenty-first century: A result of the digital revolution?

Objectives

Increases in electronic media communication (EMC) and decreases in face-to-face peer contact in the evening (FTF) have been thought to explain the recent decline in adolescent substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis). This study addresses this hypothesis, by examining associations between (time trends in) EMC, FTF, and substance use in more than 25 mainly European countries.

Methods

Using 2002–2014 data from the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, we ran multilevel logistic regression analyses to investigate the above associations.

Results

National declines in substance use were associated with declines in FTF, but not with increases in EMC. At the individual level, both EMC and FTF related positively to substance use. For alcohol and cannabis use, the positive association with EMC was stronger in more recent years. Associations between EMC and substance use varied across countries, but this variation could not be explained by the proportion of young people using EMC within countries.

Conclusions

Our research suggests that the decrease in FTF, but not the increase in EMC, plays a role in the recent decrease in adolescent substance use.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00038-018-1182-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development of an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis for Healthy Internet Use: Theory and Preliminary Evidence

The Internet has become an integral part of our daily life, and how to make the best use of the Internet is important to both individuals and the society. Based on previous studies, an Online and Offline Integration Hypothesis is proposed to suggest a framework for considering harmonious and balanced Internet use. The Integration Hypothesis proposes that healthier patterns of Internet usage may be achieved through harmonious integration of people's online and offline worlds. An online/offline integration is proposed to unite self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and social functioning with both cognitive and behavioral aspects by following the principles of communication, transfer, consistency, and "offline-first" priorities. To begin to test the hypothesis regarding the relationship between integration level and psychological outcomes, data for the present study were collected from 626 undergraduate students (41.5% males). Participants completed scales for online and offline integration, Internet addiction, pros and cons of Internet use, loneliness, extraversion, and life satisfaction. The findings revealed that subjects with higher level of online/offline integration have higher life satisfaction, greater extraversion, and more positive perceptions of the Internet and less loneliness, lower Internet addiction, and fewer negative perceptions of the Internet. Integration mediates the link between extraversion and psychological outcomes, and it may be the mechanism underlying the difference between the "rich get richer" and social compensation hypotheses. The implications of the online and offline integration hypothesis are discussed.

Problematic internet use among high school students: Prevalence, associated factors and gender differences

This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Problematic Internet Use (PIU) among high school students and to identify factors associated with PIU underlining gender differences. The students filled a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire collecting information on demographic characteristics and patterns of Internet use. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with PIU in the overall sample and by gender. Twenty-five schools and 2022 students participated in the survey. Prevalence of PIU was 14.2% among males and 10.1% among females. Males 15-year-olds and females 14-year-olds had the highest PIU prevalence that progressively lowered with age among females. Only 13.5% of pupils declared parents controlled their Internet use. The sensation of feeling lonely, the frequency of use, the number of hours of connection, and visiting pornographic websites were associated with the risk of PIU in both genders. Attending vocational schools, the activities of chatting and file downloading, and the location of use at Internet point among males, and younger age among females were associated with PIU, whilst information searching was protective among females. PIU could become a public health problem in the next years. The physical and mental health consequences should be studied.

Facebook use and its effects on the life of health science students in a private medical college of Nepal

BACKGROUND

Facebook, a popular social networking site, has been used by people of different ages and professions for various purposes. Its use in the field of medical education is increasing dramatically. At the same time, the pros and cons of facebook use among the health science students has attracted the attention of educators. The data regarding its use and the effect on the life of Nepalese health science students has not yet been documented. Therefore, this study is carried out to evaluate the effect of facebook use on social interactions, behaviour, academics, and the health of students in a medical college of Nepal.

RESULTS

A cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among medical, dental, nursing and allied health science students using self-administered questionnaire. The study showed that 98.2 % of participants were facebook users. Among 452 respondents, 224 and 228 were male and female respectively, with a mean age of 20.2 ± 1.2 years. The main reason for using facebook was to remain in contact with family and friend (32 %), while its use for the academic purpose was only 5 %. However, 80.8 % of students acknowledged ease in acquiring academic materials from others, through facebook. One-fourth of the students acknowledged that they are using facebook late at night on a regular basis, while surprisingly 4.2 % of the students admitted accessing facebook during the classroom lectures. Almost two-third of the users, further admitted that facebook has had a negative impact on their studies. Burning eyes (21 %), disturbed sleep (19 %), and headache (16 %) were the most common adverse health effects reported by the facebook users. Many students (71.4 %) tried and most of them (68.7 %) succeeded, in reducing time spent on facebook, to allow for increased time devoted to their studies.

CONCLUSION

The widespread use of facebook among the health science students, was found to have both positive and negative effects on their academics, social life, and health.

Social functioning in major depressive disorder

Depression is associated with social risk factors, social impairments and poor social functioning. This paper gives an overview of these social aspects using the NIMH Research and Domain Criteria 'Systems for Social Processes' as a framework. In particular, it describes the bio-psycho-social interplay regarding impaired affiliation and attachment (social anhedonia, hyper-sensitivity to social rejection, competition avoidance, increased altruistic punishment), impaired social communication (impaired emotion recognition, diminished cooperativeness), impaired social perception (reduced empathy, theory-of-mind deficits) and their impact on social networks and the use of social media. It describes these dysfunctional social processes at the behavioural, neuroanatomical, neurochemical and genetic levels, and with respect to animal models of social stress. We discuss the diagnostic specificity of these social deficit constructs for depression and in relation to depression severity. Since social factors are importantly involved in the pathogenesis and the consequences of depression, such research will likely contribute to better diagnostic assessments and concepts, treatments and preventative strategies both at the diagnostic and transdiagnostic level.

The Double Meaning of Online Social Space: Three-Way Interactions Among Social Anxiety, Online Social Behavior, and Offline Social Behavior

The present study aimed to investigate how online and offline social behavior interact with each other ultimately to affect the well-being of socially anxious adolescents. Based on previous studies, it was assumed that there might be three-way interactive effects among online social behavior, offline social behavior, and social anxiety regarding the relationship with well-being. To measure social anxiety, online and offline social behavior, and mental well-being, self-report questionnaires such as the Korean-Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Korean version of the Relational Maintenance Behavior Questionnaire, and Korean version of Mental Health Continuum Short Form were administered to 656 Korean adolescents. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the three-way interaction of online social behavior, offline social behavior, and social anxiety was indeed significant. First, online social behavior was associated with lower well-being of adolescents with higher social anxiety under conditions of low engagement in offline social behavior. In contrast, a higher level of online social behavior predicted greater well-being for individuals with high social anxiety under conditions of more engagement in offline social behavior. Second, online social behavior was not significantly related to well-being in youths with low social anxiety under conditions of both high and low engagement in offline social behavior. Implications and limitations of this study were discussed.

Modeling of Causes of Sina Weibo Continuance Intention with Mediation of Gender Effects

Sina Weibo is a Twitter-like social networking site and one of the most popular microblogging services in China. This study aims to examine the factors that influence the intentions of users to continue using this site. This paper synthesizes the expectation confirmation model, constructs of habit and perceived critical mass, and the gender effect to construct a theoretical model to explain and predict these user intentions. The model is then tested via an online survey of 498 Sina Weibo users and partial least squares (PLS) modeling. The results indicate that the continuance intention of users is directly predicted by their perceived usefulness of the service (β = 0.299), their satisfaction (β = 0.208), and their habits (β = 0.389), which jointly explain 65.9% of the variance in intention. In addition to the effects of these predictors on the continuance intentions of Sina Weibo users, an assessment of the moderating effect of gender suggests that habit plays a more important role for females than for males in continuance intention, but perceived usefulness seems to be more important for males than for females. The implications of these findings are then discussed.

The mediating role of Internet addiction in depression, social anxiety, and psychosocial well-being among adolescents in six Asian countries: a structural equation modelling approach

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the associations of Internet addiction with social anxiety, depression, and psychosocial well-being among Asian adolescents. A self-medication model conceptualizing Internet addiction as a mediating role in relating depression and social anxiety to negative psychosocial well-being was tested.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

In the Asian Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey (AARBS), 5366 adolescents aged 12-18 years from six Asian countries (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Philippines) completed a questionnaire with items of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Self-Rated Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA-SR) in the 2012-2013 school year. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the mediating role of Internet addiction in depression, social anxiety, and subjective psychosocial well-being.

RESULTS

Significant differences on the scores of IAT, SAS-A, CESD, and HoNOSCA-SR across the six countries were found. The proposed self-medication model of Internet addiction received satisfactory goodness-of-fit with data of all countries. After the path from social anxiety to Internet addiction had been discarded in the revised model, there was a significant improvement of the goodness-of-fit in the models for Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and social anxiety reciprocally influenced, whereas depression associated with poorer psychosocial well-being directly and indirectly through Internet addiction in all six countries. Internet addiction mediated the association between social anxiety and poor psychosocial well-being in China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Gambling disorder and other behavioral addictions: recognition and treatment

Addiction professionals and the public are recognizing that certain nonsubstance behaviors--such as gambling, Internet use, video-game playing, sex, eating, and shopping--bear resemblance to alcohol and drug dependence. Growing evidence suggests that these behaviors warrant consideration as nonsubstance or "behavioral" addictions and has led to the newly introduced diagnostic category "Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders" in DSM-5. At present, only gambling disorder has been placed in this category, with insufficient data for other proposed behavioral addictions to justify their inclusion. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of behavioral addictions, describes treatment considerations, and addresses future directions. Current evidence points to overlaps between behavioral and substance-related addictions in phenomenology, epidemiology, comorbidity, neurobiological mechanisms, genetic contributions, responses to treatments, and prevention efforts. Differences also exist. Recognizing behavioral addictions and developing appropriate diagnostic criteria are important in order to increase awareness of these disorders and to further prevention and treatment strategies.

Is the excessive use of microblogs an Internet addiction? Developing a scale for assessing the excessive use of microblogs in Chinese college students

More and more college students are using microblogs, with some excessive users demonstrating addiction-like symptoms. However, there is currently no published scale available for use in assessing excessive use of these microblogs, a significant impediment to advancing this area of research. We collected data from 3,047 college students in China and developed a Microblog Excessive Use Scale (MEUS) for Chinese college students, comparing it with criteria used for assessing Internet addiction. Our diagnostic scale featured three factors, two of which–“withdrawal and health problem” and “time management and performance”–are already included in Internet addiction assessment scales. The third factor, “social comfort,” does not appear in Internet addiction assessment scales. Our study found that females have significantly higher MEUS scores than males, and that total MEUS scores positively correlated with scores from “self-disclosure” and “real social interaction” scales. These findings differ from results obtained in previous investigations into Internet addiction. Our results indicate that some characteristics of the excessive use of microblogs are different to those of Internet addiction, suggesting that microblog overuse may not correspond exactly to the state of Internet addiction.