ArticlePloS one2016
Internet Addiction and Relationships with Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Self-Esteem in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Designed Study.
Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 155 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
155 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 475 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impact of digital addiction on youth health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2025Pooled it
- The association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use among English- and Chinese-language studies: A meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Pooled it
- Prevalence of internet addiction among college students in the Indian setting: a systematic review and meta-analysis.General psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Psychological aspects of infertility. A systematic review.The Journal of international medical research · 2020Pooled it
- Prevalence of Internet addiction disorder in Chinese university students: A comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2018Pooled it
- Identifying internet addiction profiles and bridge connectors among Chinese college students and evaluating CBT vs. CBT+MBI interventions via a randomized controlled trial.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2025Trial
- Effect of Exercise Intervention on Internet Addiction and Autonomic Nervous Function in College Students.BioMed research international · 2022Trial
- Online and in-person stress induction in a quasi-avoidance-based Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer task.Learning & behavior · 2026Article
- Stress Management for Students in Dental Education: A Scoping Review.Journal of dental education · 2026Article
- Prevalence of Internet Addiction Among Thai Pharmacy Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- The relationship between internet addiction and intuitive eating: a cross-sectional study among young adults.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Parallel mediation of psychological flexibility and vulnerability between multiple-screen addiction and mental health outcomes in adolescents.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Association between depression, anxiety and loneliness with internet addictions among public university students in Malaysia.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Adolescent Insomnia Disorder - Problematic Internet Use Nexus: A Convergent Developmental Trajectory - Bridging Neuroimaging Biomarkers, Molecular Susceptibility, and Environmental-Neurocognitive Cascades.Psychology research and behavior management · 2026Review
- Psychometric validation of selected scales assessing mental health conditions among Ghanaian youth.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2026Article
- The Effect of Problematic Internet Use, Internet Gaming Disorder and Cyberbullying/Victimization Levels on Self-esteem in Obese AdolescentsJournal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology · 2025Article
- Oral Hygiene Neglect in Indian Teens and Young Adults Due to Depression Caused by Internet Addiction.Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences · 2025Article
- The impact of perceived social support on anxiety and depression: the chain mediating effect of internet addiction and insomnia.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Article
- Disordered Eating Behaviors, Perceived Stress and Insomnia During Academic Exams: A Study Among University Students.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
95 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsInternet addiction (IA) could be a major concern in university medical students aiming to develop into health professionals. The implications of this addiction as well as its association with sleep, mood disorders and self-esteem can hinder their studies, impact their long-term career goals and have wide and detrimental consequences for society as a whole. The objectives of this study were to: 1) Assess potential IA in university medical students, as well as factors associated with it; 2) Assess the relationships between potential IA, insomnia, depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem.
methodsOur study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among 600 students of three faculties: medicine, dentistry and pharmacy at Saint-Joseph University. Four validated and reliable questionnaires were used: the Young Internet Addiction Test, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS 21), and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES).
resultsThe average YIAT score was 30 ± 18.474; Potential IA prevalence rate was 16.8% (95% confidence interval: 13.81-19.79%) and it was significantly different between males and females (p-value = 0.003), with a higher prevalence in males (23.6% versus 13.9%). Significant correlations were found between potential IA and insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression and self-esteem (p-value < 0.001); ISI and DASS sub-scores were higher and self-esteem lower in students with potential IA.
conclusionsIdentifying students with potential IA is important because this addiction often coexists with other psychological problems. Therefore, interventions should include not only IA management but also associated psychosocial stressors such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.