The longitudinal association between internet addiction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Front Public Health
; 10: 1096660, 2022.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2288769
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic and related prevention policies, such as home quarantine or online courses, could increase the risks of experiencing internet addiction and mental health problems among Chinese adolescents. There is a lack of longitudinal evidence to show the association between internet addiction symptoms and psychological consequences (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms).Objective:
This study aimed to explore the association between internet addiction and depressive and anxiety symptoms before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods:
An effective sample of 7,958 Chinese adolescents was recruited for this two-wave longitudinal survey conducted over a six-month interval. All participants completed two-wave surveys before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal cross-lagged path model was used to analyze the associations between internet addiction and depressive and anxiety symptoms after controlling for four covariates (i.e., age, sex, minority, and COVID-19 influence).Results:
Higher depressive and anxiety symptoms before COVID-19 significantly predicted severe internet addiction during COVID-19. Results showed a significant bidirectional relationship between internet addiction and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the prevalence of internet addiction displayed an increasing trend over the two waves. Conversely, a reduced prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms was observed over the two waves.Conclusion:
This current study provided valuable evidence that psychological problems and internet addiction significantly influenced each other before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Consequently, the presence of psychological problems before and during the COVID-19 outbreak could indicate internet addiction. Thus, depression- and anxiety-related psychotherapies should be developed to prevent internet addiction among Chinese adolescents.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Front Public Health
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Fpubh.2022.1096660
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS