Instruments Assessing Problematic Use of the Internet and Their Associations with Psychological Distress among Ghanaian University Students

Background:The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of Problematic Internet Use(PIU)instruments and their correlation with psychological distress and time spent on Internet activities among university students in Ghana.Methods:In the present cross-sectional survey design study,520 participants(35.96% female)were recruited with a mean age of 19.55 years(SD=1.94)from several university departments(i.e.,Behavioral Sciences,Materials Engineering,Nursing and Midwifery,and Biochemistry and Biotechnology)of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST)between 19 July and 04 August,2023.Participants completed a survey that included the following measures:the Gaming Disorder Test(GDT),Gaming Disorder Scale for Adolescents(GADIS-A),Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form(IGDS9-SF),Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale(BSMAS),Smartphone Application Based Addiction Scale(SABAS),Nomophobia Questionnaire(NMP-Q),and the external criterion measure:Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21(DASS-21).Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)was carried out to evaluate the structure of the instruments.Cronbach’s α,McDonald’s ω,and composite reliability were used to evaluate internal consistency.Pearson correlation was used to examine the associations between the scores of instruments assessing PIU,time spent on Internet activities,and the level of psychological distress.Results:Model fits confirmed the(i)unidimensional structure of the GDT,BSMAS,SABAS,IGDS9-SF,(ii)two-factor structure of the GADIS-A,and(iii)four-factor structure of the NMP-Q.Additionally,the study found that different types of PIU were significantly associated with psychological distress and time spent on related Internet activities.Conclusion:The six instruments validated in the present study demonstrated very good to excellent psychometric properties when applied to university students in Ghana.The significant associations between Internet-related disorders,time spent on Internet-related activities,and psychological distress highlight the importance of addressing issues of PIU among this population.

高精度tDCS对网络成瘾者非理性决策行为的干预效果研究

研究发现网络成瘾者存在严重的“忽视长期利益、追求短期利益”的非理性决策行为.采用高精度tDCS技术干预网瘾被试和对照组,对比两组在最后通牒任务中的拒绝率和相应的反应时,发现单次20 min的右背外侧前额叶阳性刺激可以显著降低网瘾被试的拒绝率,并缩短其反应时间.研究结果说明,不仅单次高精度tDCS可促进网瘾者非理性决策行为的改善,而且通过干预关键脑区,即使是神经环路复杂的决策这一高级社会认知,高精度tDCS也可以实现对于决策整体加工的促进作用.因此,从其短时高效的作用效果出发,高精度tDCS未来可以考虑作为网瘾甚至更多其他病症的有效干预方法之一.

Internet addiction and problematic Internet use: A systematic review of clinical research

AIM: To provide a comprehensive overview of clinical studies on the clinical picture of Internet-use related addictions from a holistic perspective. A literature search was conducted using the database Web of Science.METHODS: Over the last 15 years, the number of Internet users has increased by 1000%, and at the same time, research on addictive Internet use has proliferated. Internet addiction has not yet been understood very well, and research on its etiology and natural history is still in its infancy. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder in the appendix of the updated version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders(DSM-5) as condition that requires further research prior to official inclusion in the main manual, with important repercussions for research and treatment. To date, reviews have focused on clinical and treatment studies of Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder. This arguably limits the analysis to a specific diagnosis of a potential disorder that has not yet been officially recognised in the Western world, rather than a comprehensive and inclusive investigation of Internet-use related addictions(including problematic Internet use) more generally. RESULTS: The systematic literature review identified a total of 46 relevant studies. The included studies used clinical samples, and focused on characteristics of treatment seekers and online addiction treatment. Four main types of clinical research studies were identified, namely research involving(1) treatment seeker characteristics;(2) psychopharmacotherapy;(3) psychological therapy; and(4) combined treatment. CONCLUSION: A consensus regarding diagnostic criteria and measures is needed to improve reliability across studies and to develop effective and efficient treatment approaches for treatment seekers.

P300 change and cognitive behavioral therapy in subjects with Internet addiction disorder A 3-month follow-up study

Event-related potential studies of cognitive function in addiction behaviors have focused on the P300 event-related potential component. The current study investigated the association between P300 component and Internet addiction disorder. We found that individuals with Internet addiction disorder exhibited significantly longer P300 latencies than controls （N2： P = 0.035; P3a： P = 0.031 P3b： P = 0.043） and similar P300 amplitudes compared to control participants. After 3 months of cognitive behavioral therapy, P300 latencies decreased significantly in the P3a and P3b （P3a： P = 0.045; P3b： P = 0.062）. These results suggest that deficits in cognitive function may be involved in Internet addiction disorder, and that clinical psychological treatment may be effective.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of internet addiction in young adults

AIM: To report the results of functional magnetic resonance imaging(f MRI) studies pertaining internet addiction disorder(IAD) in young adults.METHODS: We conducted a systematic review on Pub Med, focusing our attention on f MRI studies involving adult IAD patients, free from any comorbid psychiatric condition. The following search words were used, both alone and in combination: f MRI, internet addiction, internet dependence, functional neuroimaging. The search was conducted on April 20^(th), 2015 and yielded 58 records. Inclusion criteria were the following: Articles written in English, patients' age ≥ 18 years, patients affected by IAD, studies providing f MRI results during resting state or cognitive/emotional paradigms. Structural MRI studies, functional imaging techniques other than f MRI, studies involving adolescents, patients with comorbid psychiatric, neurological or medical conditions were excluded. By reading titles and abstracts, we excluded 30 records. By reading the full texts of the 28 remaining articles, we identified 18 papers meeting our inclusion criteria and therefore included in the qualitative synthesis.RESULTS: We found 18 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria, 17 of them conducted in Asia, and including a total number of 666 tested subjects. The included studies reported data acquired during resting state or different paradigms, such as cue-reactivity, guessing or cognitive control tasks. The enrolled patients were usually males(95.4%) and very young(21-25 years). The most represented IAD subtype, reported in more than 85% of patients, was the internet gaming disorder, or videogame addiction. In the resting state studies, the more relevant abnormalities were localized in the superior temporal gyrus, limbic, medial frontal and parietal regions. When analyzing the task related fmri studies, we found that less than half of the papers reported behavioral differences between patients and normal controls, but all of them found significant differences in cortical and subcortical brain regions involved in cognitive control and reward processing: Orbitofrontal cortex, insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, temporal and parietal regions, brain stem and caudate nucleus.CONCLUSION: IAD may seriously affect young adults' brain functions. It needs to be studied more in depth to provide a clear diagnosis and an adequate treatment.

Relationships of loneliness and mobile phone dependence with Internet addiction in Japanese medical students

We investigated factors contributing to Internet addiction in 105 Japanese medical students. The subjects were administered by a self-reporting questionnaire designed to evaluate demographic factors, Internet addiction, loneliness, health-related lifestyle factors, depressive state, patterns of behavior, and mobile phone dependence. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that loneliness and mobile phone dependence were positively related to degree of addiction. Our findings suggest that Internet addiction is associated with loneliness and mobile phone dependence in Japanese students.

Abnormal brain activity in adolescents with Internet addiction who attempt suicide: an assessment using functional magnetic resonance imaging

Internet addiction is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior and can lead to brain dysfunction among adolescents.However,whether brain dysfunction occurs in adolescents with Internet addiction who attempt suicide remains unknown.This observational cross-sectional study enrolled 41 young Internet addicts,aged from 15 to 20 years,from the Department of Psychiatry,the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University,China from January to May 2018.The participants included 21 individuals who attempted suicide and 20 individuals with Internet addiction without a suicidal attempt history.Brain images in the resting state were obtained by a 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner.The results showed that activity in the gyrus frontalis inferior of the right pars triangularis and the right pars opercularis was significantly increased in the suicidal attempt group compared with the non-suicidal attempt group.In the resting state,the prefrontal lobe of adolescents who had attempted suicide because of Internet addiction exhibited functional abnormalities,which may provide a new basis for studying suicide pathogenesis in Internet addicts.The study was authorized by the Ethics Committee of Chongqing Medical University,China(approval No.2017 Scientific Research Ethics(2017-157))on December 11,2017.

提升实时测量数据在Internet上的传输可靠性

在进行网络化测量过程中,因地域上的广阔分隔,传输测量数据必然要经过Internet。本文讨论基于Internet进行实时测量时,数据传输交换可能受到的约束,并结合当前最新网络技术及其发展趋势,设想了提高实时测量数据在Internet上传输的可靠性。

Problematic Internet use in drug addicts under treatment in public rehab centers

BACKGROUND Problematic Internet use(PIU)or Internet addiction has been recognized to be a behavioral addiction characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations,urges,or behaviors regarding computer use and Internet access that leads to impairment or distress resembling substance abuse.AIM To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of Internet use and abuse in a group of drug addicts from Southern Italy,by means of a specific questionnaire[“Questionario sull’Utilizzo delle Nuove Tecnologie”(QUNT)].METHODS All subjects(183)were heavy smokers,almost 50%of them used heroin and/or opioid compounds,30%alcohol,10%cannabis,8%cocaine,and 5%were polydrug users.Almost 10%of the individuals were also suffering from gambling disorder.RESULTS The time spent online was more than 4 hours a day in the total sample,with a slight prevalence in male subjects.Cocaine and cannabis users spent more than 6 hours online,significantly more than opioid and alcohol abusers.Distribution of the QUNT factors was not different in both sexes.Cocaine users showed higher scores at the“loss of control”,“pornography addiction”,and“addiction to social networks”factors,for the stimulant effect of this substance.Moreover,15 out of the total 17 cocaine users were pathological gamblers.Positive and statistically significant relationships were observed between some QUNT factors and body mass index.CONCLUSION These findings indicate that PIU is less severe in subjects taking sedative substances,such as heroin/opioids and alcohol,than in subjects taking stimulants.Alternatively,it may be used as a“stimulant”trigger in cocaine and cannabis users.Flattening effect of abuse drugs was noted on possible sex-related differences in QUNT items.We observed a sort of“protective”effect of a love relationship and/or living together with a partner,as those engaged subjects showed lower scores on different items than single subjects or those living alone.The relationship between time spent online(and related sedentary lifestyle)and body mass index would suggest that Internet use might be a contributing factor to increasing weight gain and obesity amongst adolescents and young adults worldwide.Our findings also highlighted the specific vulnerability of drug addicts who use stimulants,rather than sedative compounds,to other kinds of behavioral addictions,such as gambling disorder.

Impact of Internet Literacy,Internet Addiction Symptoms on Quality of Life

As a country with the largest absolute number of Internet users in the world,China has witnessed that Internet addiction is becoming a prominent issue.Young adults like university students are particularly susceptible to the lure of the Internet,and they are described as being obsessed with the Internet.According to the latest report of the China Internet Network Information Center(CNNIC),netizens aged 20-29 have become the largest group of Internet users in China,accounting for 30.7%of the total Chinese netizens.Therefore,it is very important to study the Internet use and its influence among the young,since young people have become the main body of the Chinese Internet users.Focusing on the two essential factors closely related to Internet addiction as a risk,this study attempted to find out the interrelationships between Internet literacy,Internet addiction,and young people’s quality of life.As for research method,a paper-based survey was conducted to collect data and the final sample size was 1,000.The university student sample was created from a stratified sampling procedure with proportionate allocation among the nine universities in Dalian,a coast city in northeast China.Factor analyses showed different aspects of Internet literacy and various symptoms of Internet addiction among the university students.This study found that Internet addiction had some negative influences on the university students’quality of life.Moreover,the findings showed that Internet literacy has a significant influence on Internet addiction and quality of life among these young people.Basically,those university students with higher level of Internet literacy showed lower degree of Internet addiction and higher degree of quality of life.Therefore,in the future,more attention should be paid to education and activities in order to improve young people’s Internet literacy.The findings further enrich the literature of Internet addiction,Internet literacy,as well as quality of life,and are valuable for prevention,treatment,and recovery of Internet addiction among young people.Research on Internet addiction as an emerging risk in the Chinese context is of great research significance theoretically and practically,not only because Internet addiction is becoming a prominent issue in both China and many other societies,but also because it may act as a good case to study risk issue related to Internet,youth,and everyday life.The results can be used for future studies on Internet addiction,Internet literacy,and quality of life among other subpopulations or within other social contexts.

Comparisons of temperament and character between problematic internet users and problematic drug users in Korean adolescents

Objective: It has been suggested that some internet users spend so much time on the internet that their personal and/or professional lives suffer. This study compared the temperament and character of problematic internet users (PIU) with that of problematic drug users (PDU) among Korean adolescents and aimed to examine the personality characteristics of adolescents with internet use problems. Method: We enrolled participants from high schools (n = 487), internet cafés (n = 89), and an adolescent-substance abuse consultation office (n = 45). All subjects were assessed using the Korean Internet Addiction Scale (KIAS), the Korean Adolescent Drug Addiction Screening Test-2 (KOADAST-2), and the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (K-TCI). Subjects were classified into the following four groups based on the KIAS and KOADAST-2 results: normal controls, pure PIUs, pure PDUs, and dual problematic users. Differences in the subscale scores on the K-TCI were analyzed by group. Results: Scores for Reward dependence (RD) were significantly lower in pure PIUs than in pure PDUs (13.85 ± 4.07 versus 15.44 ± 3.56, p < 0.05). Scores for Self-Directedness (SD) were lower in pure PIUs (18.21 ± 6.90) and pure PDUs (18.22 ± 6.03) than in normal controls (20.88 ± 6.60), although the scores did not differ significantly between pure PIUs and pure PDUs. Scores for Cooperativeness (C) were lower in pure PIUs than in normal controls (23.97 ± 7.02 versus 26.57 ± 6.67, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that PIUs are more socially insensitive and that they may experience more inter-personal problems than PDUs.

Decreased frontal lobe function in people with Internet addiction disorder

In our previous studies, we showed that frontal lobe and brainstem functions were abnormal in online game addicts. In this study, 14 students with Internet addiction disorder and 14 matched healthy controls underwent proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure cerebral function. Results demonstrated that the ratio of N-acetylaspartate to creatine decreased, but the ratio of cho- line-containing compounds to creatine increased in the bilateral frontal lobe white matter in people with Internet addiction disorder. However, these ratios were mostly unaltered in the brainstem, suggesting that frontal lobe function decreases in people with Internet addiction disorder.

A Comparative Analysis of Psychological Disorders between Internet Addicted Students and Ordinary Internet Users in Zabol University of Medical Sciences

Nowadays, using the Internet, for academic and non-academic activities, is an integral part of students’ daily life. Studies showed that excessive use of the Internet has negative effects on physical and mental health. The present research was conducted in order to compare the psychological disorders of Internet addicted students and ordinary Internet users in Zabol University of medical sciences. It applied a causal-comparative method. Through applying purposive sampling method, 252 undergraduate and postgraduate students of Zabol University of Medical Sciences were selected in May 2015. Data collection was performed using standard questionnaires of Young’s Internet Addiction Test and the Symptom Check List 90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Data analysis was carried out using independent t-test with SPSS21. Results indicated that the Internet addicted students, compared with ordinary Internet users had more psychological disorders. Considering the high prevalence of psychological disorders in the Internet addicted students, teaching appropriate use of the Internet to students is an important factor in controlling the Internet addiction.

Establishment of the Initial Sandplay Picture System for Chinese Young Internet Addicts: Based on Valence Assessment of Normal Adolescents

To develop the initial sandplay picture system for Chinese young internet addicts (ISPSCYIA) for the diagnosis and testing studies on internet addiction, 22 pictures were selected from the used pictures of initial sandplay in existing research results of initial sandplay of Chinese young Internet addicts. 54 normal adolescents were recruited to evaluate the valence of the pictures on a nine-point scale in terms of clarity, pleasure and arousal. Results were shown that there were no significant differences between addiction pictures and non-addiction pictures in clarity, while there were significant differences in pleasure and arousal, as the scores of non-addiction pictures were higher. Correlation analysis indicated that there was obvious positive correlation among clarity, pleasure and arousal of addiction pictures & non-addiction pictures. The coefficients of internal consistency reliability and split-half reliability of 22 pictures’ scores exhibited both over 0.90. ISPSCYIA has proved typical and distinctive through valence assessment, which could be preliminarily applied to measure the characteristics of Chinese adolescents’ internet addiction.

Excessive participation in on-line internet action games by two American teenagers: Case report, description of extent of overuse, and adverse consequences

In the past 15 years, there have been more than 40 articles in the medical literature about excessive participation in on-line internet action games by adolescents and young adults. The following case reports provide detailed information on two boys, ages 16 and 20 years respectively, who are compulsive and enthusiastic internet gamers, to the exclusion of family communication, school activities, academic performance, participation in sports and dating. They have not mastered any of the usual goals of adolescent development.

Loneliness or Materialism, Which Is a Better Predictor of Internet Addiction?

In recent years, the widespread prevalence of loneliness, materialism, and Internet addiction have been widely studied. Studies have addressed either loneliness or materialism and its relationship with Internet addiction. However, to date, no study has addressed all three concepts in a single study. The purpose of this study was: 1) to investigate whether loneliness or materialism is a reliable predictor of Internet addiction and 2) what is the nature of the relationship among these variables across gender. Data were collected from a crosssectional online-survey, which consisted of US adults (N = 311). The survey consisted of 42 items related to the key constructs. Additionally, some demographic variables were also included in the survey. Loneliness was not associated with Internet addiction. On the other hand, materialism was strongly associated with Internet addiction. The aforementioned relationship was valid across gender. Between loneliness and materialism, materialism was a strong predictor of Internet addiction.

The Relationship between Internet Addiction and Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Moderated Mediation Model of Moral Disengagement and Internet Literacy

Internet addiction and cyberbullying have emerged as significant global mental health concerns in recent years.Although previous studies have shown a close association between Internet addiction and cyberbullying,the underlying mechanisms connecting these two phenomena remain unclear.Therefore,this study aimed to reveal the mechanisms involved between Internet addiction and cyberbullying perpetration from the perspective of cognition function.This study recruited 976 Chinese youth through online survey,using the short version of Internet Addiction Test(s-IAT),Chinese Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire(C-CIPQ),Cyberbullying Moral Disengagement Scale(CMDS),and Internet Literacy Questionnaire(ILQ)to investigate the relationship between Internet addiction,moral disengagement,Internet literacy and cyberbullying perpetration.The keyfindings of this study were as follows:after controlling gender and age,(1)Internet addiction had a significant positive predictive effect on cyberbullying perpetration;(2)moral disengagement acted as a mediator between Internet addiction and cyberbullying perpetration;and(3)Internet literacy played a moderating role between moral disengagement and cyberbullying perpetration.In conclusion,there was a moderated mediating effect between Internet addiction and cyberbullying perpetration,contributing to a better understanding of the relationship between these two phenomena.

Determinants of internet addiction among medical students in Casablanca: a cross-sectional study

Objective:This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determinants of Internet addiction among medical students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca,Morocco.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study conducted among students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca between October and March 2020.An online questionnaire was administered to students to collect data and internet addiction was assessed by the Young questionnaire.A score threshold≥50 was adopted to define addiction.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with internet addiction.Results:Out of a total of 4093 FMPC students enrolled in the 2020-2021 academic year,506 agreed to participate in this study,including 303 females and 203 males.The mean addiction score assessed on the Young scale was(49.08±16.11).The prevalence of Internet addiction was 44.5%(225/506,95% CI:40% to 49%).Multiple regression analysis showed that being older than 20 years(OR=0.17,95% CI:0.40 to 0.64),being female(OR=1.70,95% CI:1.04 to 2.78),being in the dissertation year(6th year)(OR=5.17,95% CI:2.23 to 11.44),having a history of psychiatric consultation(OR=2.64,95% CI:1.34 to 5.21),having divorced parents(OR=2.64,95% CI:1.05 to 5.87),use of sleeping medication(OR=2.9,95% CI:1.05 to 3.70),sleep disorders(OR=2.06,95% CI:1.25 to 3.79),sleep deprivation(OR=2.26,95% CI:1.39 to 3.65),excessive daytime sleepiness(OR=5.39,95% CI:2.19 to 13.24),anxiety disorders(OR=1.47,95% CI:1.18 to 2.30),duration of internet connection(>4 h)(OR=11.43,95% CI:4.85 to 27.66),and having frequent conflicts with parents(OR=2.37,95% CI:1.49 to 3.79)and friends(OR=0.26,95% CI:0.11 to 0.65)were independently associated with internet addiction.Conclusion:The prevalence of Internet addiction among medical students in Casablanca remains high.Targeted action on the determinants would be of great value in prevention.

网络成瘾对大学生学业压力的影响:睡眠质量与自我控制的中介作用

本研究基于资源保存理论,运用日志法调查了153名大学生,采用多水平结构方程模型,探讨了睡眠质量和自我控制在网络成瘾与大学生学业压力关系间的中介机制。结果发现:(1)早期测量的网络成瘾能够预测后来测量的总体学业压力、睡眠质量和自我控制水平;(2)自我控制能够独立中介网络成瘾与学业压力间的关系;(3)睡眠质量和自我控制能够序列中介网络成瘾与学业压力间的关系。本研究结果提示,可以通过预防和干预网络成瘾减轻大学生感知的学业压力,对于有学业压力的网络成瘾大学生,可以通过提高睡眠质量等方式增强其自我控制资源,来缓解他们的学业压力。