Citation

Fan T, Twayigira M, Song L, Luo X, Huang C, Gao X, Shen Y. Front. Public Health 2023; 11: e1172109.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Frontiers Editorial Office)

DOI

10.3389/fpubh.2023.1172109

PMID

37663845

PMCID

PMC10470002

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Internet addiction (IA) is common among adolescents and may have severe consequences. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with IA among middle school students of Hunan Province, China. Relevance between IA and childhood trauma was also explored.

METHODS: One thousand six hundred ten students were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Data collected included demographics; internet addiction (revised-Chen internet addiction scale); childhood trauma (CTQ-SF); depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (DASS-21); suicidal behaviors, as well as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Cramer's V analysis, univariable logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression were used for associations and identifying independent relevance of IA, respectively.

RESULTS: The prevalence of IA was 12.8%. Cramer's V analysis showed that IA was associated with emotional abuse, emotional and physical neglect, NSSI, suicidal behaviors, stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, physical disorder history. Regression analysis showed that IA was independently associated with emotional neglect (OR = 3.062, 95% CI: 2.083, 4.501, p < 0.001); physical neglect (OR = 2.328; 95% CI: 1.590, 3.409, p < 0.001); depressive symptoms (OR = 2.218, 95% CI: 1.467, 3.353, p < 0.001) nationality (OR = 1.888, 95% CI: 1.034, 3.447, p = 0.006) and age (OR = 1.253, 95% CI: 1.066, 1.471, p = 0.006).

DISCUSSION: IA is common among middle school students. Attention should be paid to students with childhood trauma since they have a higher risk for IA, which may increase the risk for suicidal behaviors.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent; Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; adolescents; Prevalence; cross-sectional study; *Adverse Childhood Experiences; childhood trauma; East Asian People; internet addiction; Internet Addiction Disorder; suicidal behaviors