A controversial issue in adolescents: Is the effect of digital games on creative personality traits positive or negative?

AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of digital games on the creativity of adolescents. METHODS: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study using simple random sampling following the STROBE checklist. It was conducted with 384 adolescents between January and June 2022. Data were collected using the Digital Game Addiction Scale for Children and the Creative Personality Traits Scale. RESULTS: The adolescents were at risk for digital game addiction and had moderate creativity levels. The adolescents who had a male sex, had mothers who received primary education, started playing digital games before the age of 6 years, were using the internet for >5 h a day, had no activity other than playing digital games, and preferred action, adventure, and fighting games had higher digital game addiction levels than the other adolescents. In addition, the male adolescents had higher creativity levels than the female adolescents. There was a significant negative relationship between digital game addiction and creative personality traits among the adolescents. Digital game addiction had a negative effect on creativity. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents are at risk for digital game addiction and have moderate creativity levels. Digital game addiction negatively affects the development of creative personality traits. Interventions should be planned to prevent digital game addiction among adolescents, and adolescents should be guided to increase awareness of the effects of digital games on their creativity.

Association between problematic social networking use and anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A growing number of studies have reported that problematic social networking use (PSNU) is strongly associated with anxiety symptoms. However, due to the presence of multiple anxiety subtypes, existing research findings on the extent of this association vary widely, leading to a lack of consensus. The current meta-analysis aimed to summarize studies exploring the relationship between PSNU levels and anxiety symptoms, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, attachment anxiety, and fear of missing out. 209 studies with a total of 172 articles were included in the meta-analysis, involving 252,337 participants from 28 countries. The results showed a moderately positive association between PSNU and generalized anxiety (GA), social anxiety (SA), attachment anxiety (AA), and fear of missing out (FoMO) respectively (GA: r = 0.388, 95% CI [0.362, 0.413]; SA: r = 0.437, 95% CI [0.395, 0.478]; AA: r = 0.345, 95% CI [0.286, 0.402]; FoMO: r = 0.496, 95% CI [0.461, 0.529]), and there were different regulatory factors between PSNU and different anxiety subtypes. This study provides the first comprehensive estimate of the association of PSNU with multiple anxiety subtypes, which vary by time of measurement, region, gender, and measurement tool.

Role of self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress in predicting consumers' online shopping addiction.

Online shopping addiction is a behavior that creates serious problems and has become increasingly prevalent in modern society. When addressing online shopping addiction, the direct or indirect causes of individuals' shopping actions must be taken into consideration. The present study aims to examine the effects of self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress on online shopping addiction by determining online shopping addiction, self-control, and financial attitude levels of consumers. The sample of this study consists of 694 voluntarily participating consumers selected through convenience sampling methods from a city in Türkiye. Data were collected through Google Forms and uploaded to the SPSS 25.0 package program. During the research process, the relationship patterns between self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress on online shopping addiction were examined by using structural equation modeling. It was determined in this study that consumers have moderate levels of financial attitude and self-control, and low levels of online shopping addiction. Given the results related to the relationships and hypotheses between variables, anxiety, depression, and financial attitude were found to have statistically significant effects on online shopping addiction, whereas stress and self-control were found to not have a significant effect. Within the scope of this study, it was identified that anxiety and depression positively affect online shopping addiction, whereas financial attitude has a negative effect.

The prevalence and possible risk factors of gaming disorder among adolescents in China.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, moderate gaming behaviors can be a pleasant and relaxing experiences among adolescents. However, excessive gaming behavior may lead to gaming disorder (GD) that disruption of normal daily life. Understanding the possible risk factors of this emerging problem would help to suggest effective at preventing and intervening. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of GD and analyze its possible risk factors that adolescents with GD. METHODS: Data were collected between October 2020 and January 2021. In total, a sample of 7901 students (4080 (52%) boys, 3742 (48%) girls; aged 12-18 years) completed questionnaires regarding the Gaming-Related Behaviors Survey, Gaming Disorder Symptom Questionnaire-21 (GDSQ-21); Behavioral Inhibition System and Behavioral Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS Scale); Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ); Short-form Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran for Chinese (s-EMBU-C); and Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC). RESULTS: The prevalence of GD was 2.27% in this adolescent sample. The GD gamers were a little bit older (i.e., a higher proportion of senior grades), more boys, with more gaming hours per week in the last 12 months, with more reward responsiveness, maternal rejecting and occurrence of negative life events (e.g., interpersonal relationships, being punished and bereavement factors). CONCLUSION: These possible risk factors may influence the onset of GD. Future research in clinical, public health, education and other fields should focus on these aspects for provide target prevention and early intervention strategies.

Parent-adolescent conflict and problematic internet use among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of school climate.

BACKGROUND: Problematic Internet use (PIU) may lead adolescents to physical, emotional, social, or functional impairment due to the risky, excessive, or impulsive internet use manner. How do the experiences of adolescents influence them using the internet in a problematic manner? The answer to this question is the key to preventing and intervening PIU of adolescents. To address this question, we focus on the interactions among family (parent-adolescent conflict), school (school climate), and individual factors (PIU, depression), exploring the influence factors of PIU. METHODS: A moderated mediation model was constructed to explore the relationship between variables. Using a two-wave longitudinal design with a six-month interval between timepoints, this study collected data from 801 Chinese adolescents (411 boys, Mage = 14.68) by questionnaires. Path analysis was employed to test the model and participants' age, sex and baseline were controlled. RESULTS: Parent-adolescent conflict at Time 1 (T1) was positively related to PIU at Time 2 (T2) in adolescents. Depression at T2 mediated the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. School climate at T2 significantly moderated the mediation effect of depression on the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. Specifically, positive school climate could significantly weaken the negative effect of depression on PIU for adolescents with low level of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals that parent-adolescent conflict leads to PIU in adolescents through depression whilst the school climate moderates the impacts of depression on PIU. This adds further evidence regarding the significance of systematically and consistently incorporating family and school in the alleviating of problem behaviors displayed by teens.

White matter integrity of right frontostriatal circuit predicts internet addiction severity among internet gamers.

Excessive use of the internet, which is a typical scenario of self-control failure, could lead to potential consequences such as anxiety, depression, and diminished academic performance. However, the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the structural basis of self-control and internet addiction. In a cohort of 96 internet gamers, we examined the relationships among grey matter volume and white matter integrity within the frontostriatal circuits and internet addiction severity, as well as self-control measures. The results showed a significant and negative correlation between dACC grey matter volume and internet addiction severity (p < 0.001), but not with self-control. Subsequent tractography from the dACC to the bilateral ventral striatum (VS) was conducted. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity of dACC-right VS pathway was negatively (p = 0.011) and positively (p = 0.020) correlated with internet addiction severity, respectively, and the FA was also positively correlated with self-control (p = 0.036). These associations were not observed for the dACC-left VS pathway. Further mediation analysis demonstrated a significant complete mediation effect of self-control on the relationship between FA of the dACC-right VS pathway and internet addiction severity. Our findings suggest that the dACC-right VS pathway is a critical neural substrate for both internet addiction and self-control. Deficits in this pathway may lead to impaired self-regulation over internet usage, exacerbating the severity of internet addiction.

The relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use in Chinese college students: a chain mediation of alexithymia and negative body image.

This study explores the relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use among college students, with a focus on the mediating roles of alexithymia and negative body image. Using the University Student Social Withdrawal Questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Negative Body Image Scale, 2582 college students (33.46% male, average age = 19.46 years, SD = 2.23) were surveyed. Social withdrawal, alexithymia, negative body image, and problematic social media use were significantly correlated with each other. Social withdrawal positively predicted problematic social media use, and both alexithymia and negative body image played a chain mediating role between social withdrawal and problematic social media use. The findings indicate that individual social withdrawal is associated with college students' problematic use of social media. The results suggest that alexithymia and negative body image may mediate this association, highlighting a potential pathway through which social withdrawal influences social media use patterns.

Effect of paternal-maternal parenting styles on college students' internet addiction of different genders: The mediating role of life satisfaction.

This study aimed to understand the current situation of paternal-maternal parenting style, life satisfaction, and internet addiction among college students and explored the influence of paternal-maternal parenting styles and life satisfaction on the internet addiction of male and female college students. A questionnaire survey was administered to 967 college students in China. Life satisfaction partially mediated the effect of the paternal-maternal parenting styles on the internet addiction among college students. However, this mediating role completely varied by gender, and the dimensions of parental styles also had different effects. For male college students, life satisfaction mediated the two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the father's overprotection) and internet addiction; the mother's emotional warmth directly related to the internet addiction. Among females, life satisfaction played a partial mediating role between two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the mother's interference and protection) and internet addiction. the father's punitiveness and over-involvement were directly related to female students' internet addiction. The study reveals that the mediating effect of life satisfaction on parenting styles and internet addiction among college students is influenced by gender, and the relationship between different parenting styles and internet addiction also varies. These findings indicate that paying attention to the role of the family, especially the parenting style of fathers, is crucial for preventing internet addiction in the future. Prevention and intervention should be treated differently for male and female students.

Depression, stress, and anxiety versus internet addiction in early and middle adolescent groups: the mediating roles of family and school environments.

BACKGROUND: Family and school environment play a crucial role across the different developmental stages of adolescence. This paper investigates the potential mediating role of family and school environments in the relationship between the three psychosocial predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and Internet addiction (IA). Specifically, it focuses on the two stages of early and middle adolescence. METHODS: The study involved a survey of 407 adolescents from Qatar, comprising 250 early adolescents and 157 middle adolescents. Inclusion criteria for the study included adolescents between the ages of 10 to 17 years old, residents of Qatar and studying in a Qatar-based school. To assess the constructs of the three psychosocial predictors, IA, family environment, the study utilized the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), and the Brief Family Relationship Scale, respectively. School environment was measured using questions from the "Health Behavior in School-aged Children: WHO Collaborative Cross-National survey/study (HBSC) 2013-2014. The study applied standard mediation analysis between the DASS components and IA with family and school environment as the mediators. RESULTS: Results from the mediation analysis reveal insights into the relationships between psychosocial predictors and IA. The findings indicate that family and school environments partially mediated the relationship with regards to depression, stress, and anxiety in early adolescents. In middle adolescents, family environment partially mediated the relationship with depression and stress and fully mediating the relationship with anxiety. Meanwhile, school environment only exhibited partial mediation in the relationship with anxiety in middle adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the crucial role parents and schools play in addressing problematic technology usage that develops as a response to depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents. Moreover, the study reveals nuances in the mediating role of family and school environment in early and middle adolescence. This highlights the evolving nature of these influences across the different stages of development. Notably, this study contributes to the literature by moving beyond the conventional focus on the so-called WEIRD population, and offering valuable insights from a region that is underrepresented in current research.

Association between smartphone addiction and myofascial trigger points.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between smartphone addiction and miyafascial trigger points in university students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of university students was conducted for the purpose of this study. The participants were assessed based on age, gender, dominant side, the amount of time they spent on their smartphones, the purpose of their use, and their posture. The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Form (SAS-SF) was used to determine addictes and non-addicts. The cut-off value of SAS-SF is 31 and above for male and 33 and above for female. RESULTS: There were 136 participants in the study. The posture score for addicts and non-addicts ones was not significantly different (p > 0,05), but the number of trigger points, maximal bending posture and trigger points in the right levator scapula and right cervical erector muscles were significantly higher in the smartphone addict participants (p < 0,05). CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone addiction in university students is associated with postural changes and trigger points in the bilateral levator scapula and right cervical erector muscles. Public health programs should be developed to raise awareness about smartphone addiction, encourage screen breaks, and emphasize physical activity and exercise regularly.

The influence of physical activity on internet addiction among Chinese college students: the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of gender.

OBJECTIVES: The significance of self-esteem in the relationship between physical activity and Internet addiction among college students cannot be over, as it lays a solid foundation for the prevention and control of Internet addiction. METHODS: A total of 950 college students were surveyed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) through a cluster random sampling method. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, partial correlation analysis, mediation effect, moderation effect, and Bootstrap testing were conducted on the collected data to analyze and interpret the results. RESULTS: (1) Significant gender differences were found in the amount of physical activity and the degree of Internet addiction among college students(P&& lt;0.001); (2) Physical activity was significantly and positively correlated with self-esteem (r = 0.26, P < 0.001), but significantly and negatively correlated with Internet addiction (r=-0.23, P < 0.001); Meanwhile, self-esteem and Internet addiction were significantly and negatively related to self-esteem (r=-0.22, P < 0.001). (3) Mediating effect analyses showed that self-esteem played a partial mediating role in physical activity and Internet addiction among college students, accounting for a portion of 78.95%. (4) A moderating effect of gender on the relationship between physical activity and Internet addiction was discovered. CONCLUSION: The physical activity level of male students is significantly higher than that of female students, while the degree of internet addiction among female students is notably higher than that of male students. Physical activity can not only directly improve the issue of internet addiction among college students, but also indirectly improve it through self-esteem, with gender playing a moderating role in this process. This conclusion has practical reference significance for preventing and controlling internet addiction among college students, and provides evidence support for using physical activity as a reference solution in clinical applications. Additionally, it suggests that gender should be taken into account when preventing and intervening in internet addiction among college students, and different strategies and methods should be adopted for male and female students. Male students should be encouraged to participate more in physical activities, gradually increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of their participation, in order to divert their attention and enhance their sense of achievement in sports, thereby reducing their use of mobile phones. For female students, on the other hand, it is important to strengthen real-life communication, change the form of sports participation, engage in group, collaborative, and different situational sports activities, and enhance their focus and attention in sports, in order to reduce their internet dependency, better guide them to use the internet reasonably, and enable them to achieve emotional release through sports.

Correlation of negative emotion, fatigue level and internet addiction in college students: implication for coping strategies.

BACKGROUND: Internet addiction has an important influence on the development of physical and mental health of college students. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current status and the correlation between college students' negative emotion, fatigue level and Internet addiction disorder, and to provide reference for the care and management of college students. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey on a cluster sample of college students from October to November 15, 2022. Internet addiction scale, fatigue assessment scale and positive and negative emotion scale were used for survey. Pearson correlation analysis and mediating effect test were performed to analyze the correlation and effects. RESULTS: A total of 1546 valid questionnaires were collected. The incidence of internet addiction in college student was 20.38%. The total score of internet addiction was 52.94 ± 12.47, the total fatigue score was 69.27 ± 3.19, the score of positive emotion of college students was 31. 41 ± 5.09, and the negative emotion score was 18.54 ± 5.68. The total score of internet addiction were positively correlated with score of negative emotion (all P < 0. 05). The total score of internet addiction scale of college students were positively correlated and each factor score of with the score of fatigue severity (all P < 0. 05). Fatigue played an intermediary role in the prediction of negative emotion and internet addiction of college students, with an intermediary role of-0.433, accounting for 76.35% of the total effect. CONCLUSION: The college students' positive emotion may be strengthened to reduce their fatigue level and negative emotion so as to reduce internet addiction.

Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality.

BACKGROUND: Social media bring not only benefits but also downsides, such as addictive behavior. While an ambivalent closed insecure attachment style has been prominently linked with internet and smartphone addiction, a similar analysis for social media addiction is still pending. This study aims to explore social media addiction, focusing on variations in attachment style, mental distress, and personality between students with and without problematic social media use. Additionally, it investigates whether a specific attachment style is connected to social media addiction. METHODS: Data were collected from 571 college students (mean age = 23.61, SD = 5.00, 65.5% female; response rate = 20.06%) via an online survey administered to all enrolled students of Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversity Vienna. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) differentiated between students addicted and not addicted to social media. Attachment style was gauged using the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BFPE), mental distress by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), and personality by the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10). RESULTS: Of the total sample, 22.7% of students were identified as addicted to social media. For personality, it was demonstrated that socially media addicted (SMA) students reported significantly higher values on the neuroticism dimension compared to not socially media addicted (NSMA) students. SMA also scored higher across all mental health dimensions-depressiveness, anxiety, and somatization. SMA more frequently exhibited an insecure attachment style than NSMA, specifically, an ambivalent closed attachment style. A two-step cluster analysis validated the initial findings, uncovering three clusters: (1) secure attachment, primarily linked with fewer occurrences of social media addiction and a lower incidence of mental health problems; (2) ambivalent closed attachment, generally associated with a higher rate of social media addiction and increased levels of mental health problems; and (3) ambivalent clingy attachment, manifesting a medium prevalence of social media addiction and a relatively equitable mental health profile. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes are aligned with previous research on internet and smartphone addiction, pointing out the relevance of an ambivalent closed attachment style in all three contexts. Therapeutic interventions for social media addiction should be developed and implemented considering these findings.

Anxiety and depression during post covid-19 lockdown period among medical students, and it's relation with stress and smartphone addiction in India.

OBJECTIVES: Medical profession, a competitive and ever-updating field which requires great commitment, imposes a stressful environment for students. Our study aimed to find the prevalence and factors associated with psychological illness. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was done among medical students in Puducherry. A stratified random sampling strategy was incorporated to achieve a calculated sample size of 384. The presence of anxiety and depression, perceived stress and addiction to the phone were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Smartphone Addiction Scale - short version. Prevalence of anxiety and depression was summarized as a proportion with a 95 % confidence interval (CI). The prevalence ratio (PR) for the factors associated was estimated using log-binomial regression. RESULTS: With the response from 383 students, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 39.4 % (95 %CI: 34.5-44.3 %) and 26.6 % (22.2-31.1 %). Perceived stress was moderate in 68.2 % and high in 14 % of students. Higher age (aPR=1.49), female gender (aPR=1.22), tobacco or alcohol use (aPR=1.24), smartphone addiction (aPR=2.09) and high stress (aPR=1.93) were the predictors of anxiety among medical students in our study. Use of tobacco or alcohol (aPR=2.07), smartphone addiction (aPR=1.96) and high stress (aPR=1.72) were the predictors of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety was more prevalent than depression among the medical students. Use of tobacco or alcohol, smartphone addiction and stress increase the risk of psychological morbidity. Medical training should have a module on coping mechanisms to overcome psychological illness and have better mental well-being.

Digital Phenotypes for Early Detection of Internet Gaming Disorder in Adolescent Students: Explorative Data-Driven Study.

BACKGROUND: Limited awareness, social stigma, and access to mental health professionals hinder early detection and intervention of internet gaming disorder (IGD), which has emerged as a significant concern among young individuals. Prevalence estimates vary between 0.7% and 15.6%, and its recognition in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition underscores its impact on academic functioning, social isolation, and mental health challenges. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to uncover digital phenotypes for the early detection of IGD among adolescents in learning settings. By leveraging sensor data collected from student tablets, the overarching objective is to incorporate these digital indicators into daily school activities to establish these markers as a mental health screening tool, facilitating the early identification and intervention for IGD cases. METHODS: A total of 168 voluntary participants were engaged, consisting of 85 students with IGD and 83 students without IGD. There were 53% (89/168) female and 47% (79/168) male individuals, all within the age range of 13-14 years. The individual students learned their Korean literature and mathematics lessons on their personal tablets, with sensor data being automatically collected. Multiple regression with bootstrapping and multivariate ANOVA were used, prioritizing interpretability over predictability, for cross-validation purposes. RESULTS: A negative correlation between IGD Scale (IGDS) scores and learning outcomes emerged (r166=-0.15; P=.047), suggesting that higher IGDS scores were associated with lower learning outcomes. Multiple regression identified 5 key indicators linked to IGD, explaining 23% of the IGDS score variance: stroke acceleration (ß=.33; P<.001), time interval between keys (ß=-0.26; P=.01), word spacing (ß=-0.25; P<.001), deletion (ß=-0.24; P<.001), and horizontal length of strokes (ß=-0.21; P=.02). Multivariate ANOVA cross-validated these findings, revealing significant differences in digital phenotypes between potential IGD and non-IGD groups. The average effect size, measured by Cohen d, across the indicators was 0.40, indicating a moderate effect. Notable distinctions included faster stroke acceleration (Cohen d=0.68; P=<.001), reduced word spacing (Cohen d=.57; P=<.001), decreased deletion behavior (Cohen d=0.33; P=.04), and longer horizontal strokes (Cohen d=0.34; P=.03) in students with potential IGD compared to their counterparts without IGD. CONCLUSIONS: The aggregated findings show a negative correlation between IGD and learning performance, highlighting the effectiveness of digital markers in detecting IGD. This underscores the importance of digital phenotyping in advancing mental health care within educational settings. As schools adopt a 1-device-per-student framework, digital phenotyping emerges as a promising early detection method for IGD. This shift could transform clinical approaches from reactive to proactive measures.

The mediating effect of subject well-being between physical activity and the internet addiction of college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Internet addiction poses a significant threat to the health of college students worldwide, but physical activity, as a highly safe and effective rehabilitative measure, has shown promise for alleviating this issue nowadays. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mediating processes in this association remained unclear. This study aims to explore the impact of physical activity on internet addiction among college students and the mediating role of subjective well-being. Methods: A survey was conducted on 216 eligible college students using the physical activity level scale, the internet addiction test, and the subjective well-being scale. For data analysis, independent sample t-tests, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and mediating effect tests were in turn carried out in this work. Results: The study revealed noteworthy gender disparities in physical activity and internet addiction among college students (ß = -0.356, p < 0.01; ß = 0.140, p < 0.05). Compared to females, male students manifest elevated levels of physical activity and lower scores in internet addiction. Physical activity and subjective well-being exerted a significantly negative predictive influence on internet addiction (ß = -0.162, p < 0.05; ß = -0.508, p < 0.001). What's more, subjective well-being assumed a crucial mediating role in the relationship between physical activity and internet addiction, with the mediating effect accounting for 72.81% of the total effect. Conclusion: This study deepens the understanding of how physical activity reduces internet addiction risk while emphasizing that enhancing subjective well-being is an effective strategy for college students to cope with Internet addiction.

Heterogeneity in the co-occurrence of depression and anxiety among adolescents: Results of latent profile analysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety co-occur frequently and there is heterogeneity in the co-occurrence of such symptoms; however, few previous studies investigated the heterogeneity based on person-centered perspectives in adolescents. The primary aim of our study was to explore it using latent profile analysis (LPA), a person-centered statistical approach. METHOD: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used to examine depression and anxiety symptoms in 7422 Chinese adolescents from 23 primary and secondary schools. To investigate latent profiles and assess profile validity, we employed Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), multinomial logistic regression, and analysis of variance. RESULTS: A three-profile model was suggested as the optimum: low (69.9 %), moderate (21.6 %), and high depression/anxiety (8.5 %). Female with higher negative cognitive bias and higher emotional regulation difficulty are more likely to be categorized in the high depression/anxiety group. Internet addiction, academic "Lying flat" and involution are significantly and positively linked with the severity of anxiety and depression. LIMITATIONS: Reliance on self-reported measures may lead to response bias; the cross-sectional design limits our ability to study how symptom profiles and category membership change over time. CONCLUSIONS: Three latent profiles of the co-occurrence of depression and anxiety presented a parallel pattern, which serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative need to identify Chinese adolescents who may be at elevated risk for depression and/or anxiety, and promoting intervention that are meticulously tailored to address the unique symptom presentations of each individual.

Testing the role of extended thinking in predicting craving and problematic social network sites use.

Background and aims Problematic Social Network Sites Use (PSNSU) mirrors substance use disorders with regard to symptoms (e.g., diminished control). Recent theoretical advances in the addiction research field recognize a central role of affective and cognitive processes in the development of addictive behaviors. For example, the metacognitive model of addictive behaviors sustains that cognitive processes like extended thinking, disruption in metacognitive monitoring, and thought suppression are associated with addictive behaviors leading to increased craving. The current study aims to test the mediating role of extended thinking (i.e., worry, rumination, and desire thinking) in the relationship between psychological distress and PSNSU. Methods A community sample of 548 individuals (F = 68.5%, Mage= 29.29 ± 12.04 years) completed an online survey. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the relationships among the variables under study. Results The assessed structural model adequately fits the data, accounting for 89% of PSNSU variance. Psychological distress predicted PSNSU through the mediation of desire thinking and rumination and the serial mediation of (i) worry and craving (ii) desire thinking and craving The model is gender invariant. Conclusions The current findings provide preliminary evidence for the role of extended thinking in PSNSU. Worry, rumination and desire thinking may be central cognitive processes in eliciting craving and PSNSU for individuals who experience psychological distress.

Gratification and its associations with problematic internet use: A systematic review and meta-analysis using Use and Gratification theory.

Problematic Internet Use (PIU) has been a growing issue for two decades, and many researchers have sought to explain its occurrence. Use and Gratification Theory (UGT) has guided empirical studies investigating the associations between gratification and PIU. However, their results appear equivocal. This study aimed to synthesize research findings applying UGT and pinpoint the associations between different gratifications and PIU. Effect sizes were pooled to obtain an overall effect size. Gratifications were then classified into four types (i.e., content, social, self-presentation, and process) according to the suggestions of previous studies and the measurement of included studies. Based on 216 effect sizes from 57 samples with 38,492 participants (mean age = 24.3; 55.1 % female), random effect model analyses yielded a medium effect size (r = 0.303, p <.001, 95 % CI [0.263, 0.343]), indicating a positive association between general gratification and PIU. Subgroup analyses revealed that all four gratifications were positively associated with PIU; self-presentation showed the largest effect size, followed by process gratification.This study enhances the conceptual relevance of UGT in understanding PIU and highlights the importance of process and self-presentation gratification as predictors for PIU in certain contexts, such as among university students and in Asian countries.

Comparative efficacy of different interventions on executive function in adolescents with internet use disorder.

BACKGROUND: The formation and relapse of Internet use disorder (IUD) are related to the decline in executive function. Previous studies have indicated that exercise intervention and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) can improve the cognitive abilities of adolescents with IUD. However, the combined intervention's impact on executive function in these adolescents remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effects and differences of multimodal exercise, HD-tDCS intervention, and combined intervention on the executive function of adolescents with IUD. METHODS: Forty-eight adolescents with IUD were randomly assigned to the multimodal exercise group, HD-tDCS intervention group, combined intervention group, and control group. The intervention groups received 4 weeks of moderate-intensity multimodal exercise, HD-tDCS intervention (2 mA, 20min/session, 3 times/week), or combined multimodal exercise with HD-tDCS intervention. The control group received conventional educational learning. Executive function measurements were taken before intervention, after intervention, and 2 weeks post-intervention. RESULTS: Compared to pre-intervention, different interventions effectively improved the behavioral performance of adolescents with IUD in executive function tasks. In comparison to single interventions, the combined intervention significantly outperformed multimodal exercise and HD-tDCS intervention in influencing the executive function (especially inhibitory control and working memory) in adolescents with IUD. CONCLUSION: Combined multimodal exercise with HD-tDCS intervention proves to be an effective means of enhancing executive function in adolescents with IUD, particularly contributing to the improvement of explicit behavioral performance related to executive function.