Reciprocal Relationship between Internet Addiction and Network-Related Maladaptive Cognition among Chinese College Freshmen: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis.

Piguo Han

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01047

Abstract

This study explored the reciprocal relationship between Internet addiction (IA) and network-related maladaptive cognition (NMC) in Chinese college freshmen. A short-term longitudinal survey with a sample of 213 college freshmen was conducted in Shandong province, China. The results revealed that IA can significantly predict the generation and development of NMCs, and that when such maladaptive cognitions have been established, they can further adversely affect the extent of the students’ IA. A vicious cycle was observed between these two variables, with IA having predictive priority in its relationship with NMC. This study also determined that the relationship between these two variables was the same for both males and females; therefore, the final model we established can be extensively applied to Chinese college freshmen, regardless of gender. Understanding the reciprocal relationship between these two variables can assist in interventions in IA at the outset of students’ college life.

Highlights

Since its inception in the 1990s, the Internet has gradually become an integral part of daily life in China, among adolescents aged 10–21 years old (Daniel et al, 2012; Liu et al, 2012)
The results indicated that the associations among these variables are dynamic and bidirectional, and that the increased maladaptive cognitions bidirectionally mediated the relation between shyness and generalized pathological Internet use (GPIU) across time
The results of the post hoc test revealed that the level of Internet addiction (IA) measured at T3 was significantly higher than that at T1 (p < 0.05), and that marginal significant differences existed in network-related maladaptive cognition (NMC) when measured at T1 and T2 (p = 0.065)

Summary

Introduction

Since its inception in the 1990s, the Internet has gradually become an integral part of daily life in China, among adolescents aged 10–21 years old (Daniel et al, 2012; Liu et al, 2012). According to the 36th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China, which was published by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the number of adolescent Internet users in China has increased rapidly from 120 million in 2002 to 287 million in 2016 (Tian et al, 2017). The Internet has produced numerous benefits such as enhanced social connection and wellbeing (Bessière et al, 2008; Young and de Abreu, 2011). Internet addiction (IA), which is characterized by excessive or compulsive Internet use (Young et al, 1999; Shek et al, 2013; Yang et al, 2014) has had numerous negative effects (Joseph et al, 2016).

Methods

Results

Conclusion