Association between problematic internet use and behavioral/emotional problems among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of sleep disorders

PeerJ

article

Wanxin Wang¹  Xueying Du²  Yangfeng Guo²  Wenyan Li¹  Sheng Zhang¹  Lan Guo¹  Ciyong Lu¹ 

[1] Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University;Health Promotion Centre for Primary and Secondary Schools of Guangzhou Municipality

关键词: Sleep disorders;    Emotional problems;    Behavioral problems;    Adolescents;    Problematic Internet use;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.10839

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundStudies that focus on the relationships of problematic Internet use (PIU), sleep disorders, and behavioral/emotional problems were limited. This study aimed to explore (1) the relationship between PIU and behavioral/emotional problems among Chinese adolescents and (2) whether sleep disorders mediate the relationship between PIU and behavioral/emotional problems.MethodsA total of 1,976 adolescents were recruited by cluster sampling from ten secondary schools in Guangzhou between January and April 2019, and 1,956 of them provided valid information (response rate: 98.9% ). Among them, 50.8% were males and the mean age was 13.6±1.5 years, ranging from 11 to 18 years. Data on behavioral/emotional problems, sleep disorders, and PIU were collected using a self-reported questionnaire. Linear regression models and mediation analyses were performed.ResultsOf the participants, 14.5% (284/1,956) reported moderate to severe PIU, and their average score for total difficulties was significantly higher than the score for average users (14.9±5.5 Vs 9.8±4.7). After adjusting for controlled variables, PIU was further proven to be positively related to elevated levels of behavioral/emotional problems (unstandardized β = 0.16, p < 0.05). In addition, sleep disorders partially mediated the forgoing associations.ConclusionsAdolescents with problematic Internet habits were at higher risk of developing behavioral and emotional problems than their normal-use peers, and sleep disorders partially mediated the effect. Close attention and effective guidance for adolescents with PIU and behavioral/emotional problems were recommended for parents and schools.

【 授权许可】

CC BY