The association between online learning, parents' marital status, and internet addiction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A cross-lagged panel network approach.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research has identified the association between online learning and Internet addiction (IA) and the role of family factors in it. However, few studies have treated IA as a multidimensional mechanism and explored the underlying linkage of online learning, IA, and parental marital status with a cross-lagged network approach. The study aimed to examine the relationship between online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet addiction (IA), and parental marital status among Chinese adolescents. METHODS: The sample consisted of 2356 adolescents who completed the Internet Addiction Test twice over a four-month period. Four symptom networks and two cross-lagged panel networks were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that adolescents from divorced families had a higher prevalence of IA (27 %) compared to those from non-divorced families (17 %). The strongest cross-lagged association was found between "spending more time online" and "preferring the excitement online". In the divorced group, "school grades suffering" had the highest influence, while in the non-divorced group, "anticipation" had the highest influence. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the relationship between online learning, IA, and parental divorce and suggests that long-term online learning may contribute to IA, and parental divorce may exacerbate problematic Internet use and increase IA levels.

Effects of personal relative deprivation on the relationship between anger rumination and aggression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: A longitudinal moderated network approach.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have demonstrated a directional link between rage rumination and aggression. However, recent research suggests that this relationship is bidirectional. The current study examined the complex relationships between anger rumination and aggression using a moderated network approach in a longitudinal design while considering personal relative deprivation. METHOD: A total of 665 participants (59.25% female, agemean±SD = 19.01 ± 1.25) were enrolled at two-time points. Assessments included self-report measures of the Anger Rumination Scale, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and Relative Deprivation Scale. A Moderated Network Model (MMN) was used to test the complex links among anger rumination, aggression, and personal relative deprivation. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that the link between anger rumination and aggression was complex and bidirectional. Notably, as the level of personal relative deprivation increased, verbal aggression had a positive conditional effect on anger afterthoughts in Wave 2, and thoughts of revenge had a positive conditional effect on verbal aggression in Wave 2. Moreover, as the first discovery, anger afterthoughts and anger had a negative conditional effect on each other across levels of personal relative deprivation in Wave 2. In addition, network comparison indicates that the MNMs structure was significantly different across timepoints, implying that anger rumination and aggression were inextricably linked in college students during isolation and that this complicated relationship was weakened after isolation. CONCLUSIONS: This study deepens our understanding of the bidirectional relationships between anger rumination and aggression and recognizes the moderating role of personal relative deprivation.

Cross-lagged relationship between anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance among college students during and after collective isolation.

Object: Repeated quarantine policies over the past 3 years have led to poor psychological consequences for the public. Previous studies have proved that the quarantine policy leaves individuals vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and insomnia, especially among college students. This study aims to explore whether psychological problems during isolation continue with the release of isolation. Methods: Overall, 2,787 college students both answered a web-based survey during and after the closure management was lifted. The Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Youth Self-rating Insomnia Scale were measured. The cross-lagged path model was used to explore the influence of psychological impact during isolation on the individual after the release. Results: We found that anxiety and sleep disturbance levels alleviated significantly after quarantine, except for depression. As expected, a bidirectional relationship exists between anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. Moreover, depression and sleep disturbance can predict post quarantine depression, sleep disturbance, and anxiety, yet anxiety cannot predict sleep disturbance afterward. Conclusion: Timely and effective intervention for anxiety, depression, and insomnia during isolation is essential for individuals to repair themselves quickly after the release.

Comparing the centrality symptoms of major depressive disorder samples across junior high school students, senior high school students, college students and elderly adults during city lockdown of COVID-19 pandemic-A network analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, in the view of network analysis, depression has been conceptualized as a complex and dynamic network model combining individual symptoms. To date, no studies have systematically examined and compared depressive symptom networks across different populations. METHODS: A total of 36,105 participants were recruited and asked to complete the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 among junior high school students, senior high school students, college students, and elderly adults who were more susceptible to depression during the COVID-19 lockdown in China. In the analysis, we applied the optimal cutoff score ≥ 8 for students and a score ≥ 6 for elderly adults to identify 5830 participants who were likely to be depressed. The index of "strength" was used to identify central symptoms in the network structure. RESULTS: The results showed that Sad Mood was the most central symptom among junior high school students, senior high school students, and college students, but the most central symptom in the elderly was Guilt. Among the top three central symptoms, Suicide Ideation was unique to senior high school students, while Anhedonia was most prevalent among college students. Guilt - Suicide Ideation, Anhedonia - Energy, Anhedonia - Sad Mood, and Sleep - Energy showed the strongest association among junior and senior high school students, college students, and elderly adults, respectively. NCT (i.e., Network Comparison Test) suggested that the network's global connectivity was ultimately inconsistent, but the network structure remained roughly intact. CONCLUSION: In treatment, targeting central symptoms may be critical to alleviating depression.

Seeking bridge symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance among the elderly during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic-A network approach.

Background: Besides physical changes, elderly adults are prone to have mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance, and the pandemic of COVID-19 worsened the situation. However, internal relationships and co-occurrence of psychopathologies were scarcely examined. Therefore, in the current study, through network analysis, we inspected relationships among symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance and identified key symptoms that espoused the disease. Methods: We asked 1,302 elderly adults to fill in Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (depressive symptoms), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (anxiety symptoms), and the Youth Self-rating Insomnia Scale (sleep disturbance) and then constructed three networks for elderly adults, male elderly, and female elderly. Via network analysis, we accomplished four goals. First, we identified symptom with the highest centrality (i.e., strength) index for each network; then, we found the strongest correlation (i.e., edges) in each network; thirdly, we confirmed specific nodes that could bridge anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance; the last was to compare networks based on genders. Network stability and accuracy tests were performed. Results: Networks of elderly adults, male elderly, and female elderly were stable, accurate, and intelligible. Among all networks, "Nervousness"- "Excessive worry" (GAD-1- GAD-2) had the strongest correlation, and "Nervousness" (GAD-1) had the highest strength and bridge strength value. When we made a comparison between female elderly's and male elderly's networks, except for the significant difference in the mean value of "Difficulty initiating sleep" (YSIS-3), the findings showed that the two networks were similar. Network stability and accuracy proved to be reliable. Conclusions: In networks of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance, anxiety played a conspicuous role in comorbidity, which could be a target for practical intervention and prevention.