Internet addiction among teenagers in a Chinese population: Prevalence, risk factors, and its relationship with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Menghui Gao; Ziwei Teng; Zirou Wei; Kun Jin; Jingmei Xiao; Hui Tang; Haishan Wu; Yi Yang; Hu Yan; Jindong Chen; Renrong Wu; Jingping Zhao; Ying Wu; Jing Huang

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.07.003

Internet addiction among teenagers in a Chinese population: Prevalence, risk factors, and its relationship with obsessive-compulsive symptoms

J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Sep:153:134-140. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.07.003. Epub 2022 Jul 5.

Authors

Menghui Gao¹, Ziwei Teng², Zirou Wei³, Kun Jin⁴, Jingmei Xiao⁵, Hui Tang⁶, Haishan Wu⁷, Yi Yang⁸, Hu Yan⁹, Jindong Chen¹⁰, Renrong Wu¹¹, Jingping Zhao¹², Ying Wu¹³, Jing Huang¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Mental Health Institute, Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹¹ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹² Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹³ Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁴ Psychiatry Department and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 35810603
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.07.003

Abstract

Background and aims: Internet addiction (IA) among teenagers has been reported frequently in China, although research has seldom focused on vocational high school students. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors among this special adolescent population. Moreover, we illustrate the complex relationship between obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, insomnia, psychological states, and IA.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was applied to collect information from three different vocational high schools in Hunan Province, China. Socio-demographic characteristics, OC symptoms, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were compared between the IA and non-IA groups. Then, a structural equation model (SEM) was established to test our hypothesis regarding different paths from OC symptoms to IA.

Results: IA prevalence was 13.4% among 7990 vocational high school students. Individuals with IA were more likely to be male and students with more severe depression, stress, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms (all p < 0.001). SEM verified that OC symptoms were related to IA both directly and indirectly, where the latter relationship was mediated through insomnia or mental disorders.

Limitations: This study cannot confirm the causal relationships among the variables and should be generalized cautiously to other groups.

Conclusions: More attention should be paid to Chinese vocational high school students, especially those with more severe OC symptoms, poor mental health, and insomnia. We should consider OC symptoms, insomnia, psychological suffering, and IA together when addressing related problems.

Keywords: Insomnia; Internet addiction; Obsessive-compulsive symptoms; Psychological states; Structural equation model.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Behavior, Addictive* / psychology
China / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / psychology
Female
Humans
Internet
Internet Addiction Disorder / epidemiology
Male
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* / epidemiology
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* / epidemiology