The relations of internet and smartphone addictions to depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality among public university students in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2020 Oct;56(4):949-955. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12517. Epub 2020 May 3.

Abstract

Purpose: This cross-sectional study examined the cyber-psychological correlates of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality among public university students in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Design and methods: Participants were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling methods from three public universities in the study location. Participants completed measures of internet and smartphone addictions, depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality, along with sociodemographic items.

Findings: At bivariate level, both internet and smartphone addictions were found to have significant positive correlations with depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality. At multivariate level, only internet addiction emerged as a consistent significant predictor for depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality.

Practice implications: The present findings have implications for mental health professionals to routinely screen for psychological disturbance in young adults who have potential risks for internet addiction.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; internet addiction; smartphone addiction; stress; suicidality.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / epidemiology*
  • Behavior, Addictive / epidemiology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Internet Addiction Disorder / epidemiology*
  • Malaysia / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Smartphone*
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Suicide / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities
  • Young Adult