Assessing behavioral patterns of Internet addiction and drug abuse among high school students

Association between urbanization and Internet addiction

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Understanding the association between urbanization and Internet addiction is essential to the design and implementation of Internet addiction prevention measures in urban areas. This epidemiological review explores the urbanization-Internet addiction association and its potential underlying factors.

RECENT FINDINGS

Nine studies have reported that Internet addiction prevalence is higher in urban areas, but three studies have noted the opposite. Psychiatric disorders and stress are the most commonly mentioned factors underlying the association. The effects of urbanization on Internet availability, Internet cafes, online gaming, outdoor or interactive activities, and family regulation and monitoring have been suggested to lead to higher Internet addiction risk. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, obesity, sleep problems, and the migration of parents to urban areas in search of work have strengthened the effect of urbanization on Internet addiction.

SUMMARY

Early assessment and treatment provided by mental health services are crucial for mitigating the effect of urbanization on Internet addiction risk. Cities should be designed to provide adequate space for physical and interactive activities. To promote outdoor activities, air pollution, traffic congestion, and crime should be controlled. Prospective face-to-face studies involving analysis of data on pollution, traffic, and Internet addiction could provide evidence to elucidate the urbanization- Internet addiction association.

Effect of assertiveness program on the drug use tendency, mental health, and quality of life in clinical students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND

Students on campus are exposed to drug abuse and mental health disorders due to various challenges and motivating factors. This issue requires attention to interventions based on coping skills training. The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the effect of an assertiveness program on the drug use tendency, mental health, and quality of life in clinical students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in 2020.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a quasi-experimental study. Seventy clinical students (nursing, midwifery, and intern students) attending Ayatollah Kashani and Hajar teaching hospitals of Shahrekord were included into the study and randomly assigned into an intervention group and a control group. The assertiveness training program was implemented for eight 1-h sessions (one session per week for 2 months) for the intervention group, while the control group received no programs. Both study groups completed drug tendency questionnaire, depression, anxiety and stress scale, and quality of life questionnaire in pretest, posttest, and 2-month follow-up. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (v22), analysis of variance repeated measures, and t-test.

RESULTS

The mean scores of drug use tendency (P = 0.26), stress (P = 0.31), anxiety (P = 0.29), depression (P = 0.43), and quality of life (P = 0.33) showed no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the pretest, but the scores of the drug use tendency, stress, anxiety, and depression were statistically lower and the score of quality of life was statistically higher than that of the control group in the posttest and 2-month follow-up (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings of the study showed that assertiveness skill training as a preventive program can reduce the students' tendency to addiction and improve their mental health and quality of life. Considering the effectiveness of the program, planners and policymakers can use it to plan for reducing the youth tendency to drugs.

Predictive Effect of Internet Addiction and Academic Values on Satisfaction With Academic Performance Among High School Students in Mainland China

Academic performance occupies an important role in adolescent development. It reflects adolescents’ cognitive ability and also shapes their academic and career paths. Students who are satisfied with their school performance tend to show higher self-esteem, confidence, and motivation. Previous research has suggested that students’ problem behaviors, such as Internet Addiction (IA), and academic values, including intrinsic and utility values, could predict satisfaction with academic performance. However, the influence of IA and academic values has not been thoroughly explored in Chinese contexts where the pressure for academic success is heavy. This study examined the relationships between IA, academic values (intrinsic and utility value), and satisfaction with academic performance using two waves of data collected from secondary school students in four cities in mainland China. The matched sample included a total of 2,648 Grade 7 or 8 students (57.1% were boys with a mean age of 13.1 years at Wave 1). Participants completed the same questionnaire containing validated measures at both waves with a 1-year interval. In line with the hypotheses, multiple regression analyses showed that Wave 1 IA was a significant negative predictor of Wave 2 intrinsic value, utility value, and satisfaction with academic performance and their changes. Results of mediation analyses revealed that only intrinsic value, but not utility value, positively predicted satisfaction with academic performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses also showed similar findings. Two observations are concluded from the present findings: IA impaired students’ intrinsic value, utility value, and perceived satisfaction with academic performance; two aspects of academic values demonstrated different influences on satisfaction with academic performance. These findings provide implications for the promotion of academic satisfaction experienced by students and the prevention of negative effects of IA.

Why Are Turkish University Students Addicted to the Internet? A Moderated Mediation Model

Internet addiction has become a significant problem that primarily affects young people. It has an essential effect on the individual's self-perception and assessment of their competencies. This study aimed to reveal whether there is a significant relationship between the level of internet addiction of university students and their age and self-esteem. For this purpose, internet addiction and self-esteem scales were used in addition to questions such as age, gender, the purpose of internet use, and internet daily usage time. We used a quantitative research method to obtain cross-sectional data from 400 Turkish young people using online surveys. Correlation, regression, mediation, and moderation analyses were performed using SPSS and the PROCESS macro plugin for data analysis. Internet addiction was significantly associated with self-esteem, gender, age, and daily internet usage. In addition, we discovered that self-esteem and daily usage time played a mediation role in the effect of the age variable on internet addiction. Moreover, the moderation roles of social networks, gender, and location in the impact of self-esteem on internet addiction were determined. With this study, we understood that as age increases, self-esteem triggers the decrease of internet addiction. In this sense, policies should be developed to increase self-esteem among young people to ensure the conscious use of the internet.

Exploring the relationship of sleep quality with drug use and substance abuse among university students: a cross-cultural study

Background

There is a growing interest in studying the area of drugs and college students due to the negative effects that drugs have on a student’s social life, academics, psychology, finances, and health. So, this study aims to identify the relationship between drug/substance abuse and quality of sleep among university students in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The sample size was 935 (43.21% N = 404 female, 56.79% N = 531 male, 55.40% N = 518 Yemeni, and 44.60% N = 417 Saudi). Students responded to the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Substance Abuse Questionnaire.

Results

The results showed a high prevalence of drug use: 43.1% of respondents (27.27% N = 219 Yemenis and 15.83% N = 148 Saudis) abuse drugs, 29.41% were in the low level of drug use, 10.48% were in the moderate level of drug use, 2.46% were in the substantial level of drug, and 0.75% were in the severe level of drug use as per the DAST-10. The differences between both countries in terms of drug use were significant (X2 19.394, P < 0.001). The prevalence rate of inhalants was 16.36% and of sedatives was 12.09%, and the differences between countries were significant. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 24.81%; a total of 7.91% of respondents had very poor sleep quality, while 16.90% had poor sleep quality. The differences between countries were not significant.

The relationship between sleep quality and drug use, smoking, and substance abuse was significant. The quality of sleep decreased consistently with a high level of drug use or substance abuse.

Conclusions

Poor sleep quality is significantly associated with drug use and substance abuse, and it is important to recognize the factors affecting drug and substance abuse among university students. A significant contribution can make for the protection of university students by guaranteeing that psychological interventions for high-risk groups are planned in advance.

The association between internet addiction, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life among Iranian medical students

Due to the increasing use of the internet in Iranian society, especially among students, and the importance of sleep quality (SQ) and quality of life (QOL), the present study examined the relationship between QOL, SQ, and internet addiction (IA) among medical science students. In the present descriptive-analytical study, the sample comprised Saveh University of Medical Sciences students who were studying in 2019. The survey included demographic information (i.e., age, gender, place of residence, field of study, semester, marital status, smoking status, daily exercise) and the 20-item Internet Addiction Test. From 285 distributed questionnaires, 279 individuals with a mean age of 21.01 years (SD ± 3.17) completed the survey. Findings indicated that students with IA had higher mean scores on (i) all physical dimensions concerning QOL (except for the physical pain) and (ii) all psychological dimensions of QOL. The findings will help national health authorities and planners in Iran design appropriate and effective interventions to improve student health and prevent IA.

Bidirectional Mediating Role of Loneliness in the Association Between Shyness and Generalized Pathological Internet Use in Chinese University Students: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

This 1-year longitudinal study examined the bidirectional mediating role of loneliness in the association between shyness and generalized pathological Internet use (GPIU) in a sample of 291 Chinese university students (143 men, mean age = 19.07 years). A fully cross-lagged panel design was used in which shyness, loneliness, and GPIU were assessed at 3 time points separated by 6-month intervals (named T1, T2, and T3). The results indicated that relationships among shyness, loneliness, and GPIU were dynamic and bidirectional. Specifically, T1 shyness positively predicted increased T2 loneliness, T2 shyness positively predicted increased T3 loneliness, and T2 loneliness positively predicted increased T3 shyness. Additionally, T1 GPIU positively predicted increased T2 loneliness, T2 GPIU positively predicted increased T3 loneliness, and T2 loneliness positively predicted increased T3 GPIU. Loneliness was found to play a bidirectional mediating role in the association between shyness and GPIU. Specifically, T1 shyness and T3 GPIU were mediated through increased loneliness at T2, and T1 GPIU and T3 shyness were mediated through increased loneliness at T2. Furthermore, relationships among shyness, loneliness, and GPIU were the same across the 2 groups, with the strength of relationships being stronger for men.

Influence of internet addiction on executive function and learning attention in Taiwanese school-aged children

PURPOSE

This study aims to evaluate the executive function and learning attention in children with internet addiction (IA).

DESIGN AND METHODS

Children aged 10-12 were screened by Chinese Internet Addiction Scale to compose the IA group and internet nonaddiction group. Their executive functions were evaluated by Stroop color and word test, Wisconsin card sorting test, and Wechsler digit span test. Learning attention was evaluated by Chinese concentration questionnaire.

FINDINGS

Executive function and learning attention were lower in the IA group than in the internet nonaddiction group.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Executive function and learning attention are compromised by IA in children. Early interventions into the IA should be planned to maintain the normal development of executive function and learning attention in childhood.