ArticleComputers in human behavior2023
Network analysis of internet addiction and depression among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study.
Article in Computers in human behavior, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers.
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53 citing papers in PubMed, 111 citations in OpenAlex.
- Differences in Internalizing Problems Across Risk Groups of Smartphone Addiction: Simulation-Based Network Analysis of Intervention Targets.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Validation of the Chinese Stress Sensitivity Inventory and Its Association With Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms.Psychiatry investigation · 2026Article
- A Network Analysis of Suicidal Cognition as a Central Node Linking Depression and Prospection Bias in University Students.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Shared and distinct features between interpersonal and self-directed violent behaviors: a simulated intervention network study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Comparison of depressive symptoms between heterosexual and sexual minority university students: network analysis.Psicologia, reflexao e critica : revista semestral do Departamento de Psicologia da UFRGS · 2026Article
- The dual effects of individual and contextual factors on adolescent problematic internet use: Machine learning approaches and SHAP explanations.Journal of behavioral addictions · 2026Article
- The relationship among short-form video addiction, self-control, and emotional symptoms in college students: a network analysis.BMC public health · 2026Article
- [Relationship between adolescent internet addiction and depressive symptoms: A longitudinal study based on a cross-lagged panel network models].Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2026Article
- Physical activity and social media addiction: a multi-mediation analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Depressive symptoms precede and drive problematic smartphone use in Chinese medical students: a longitudinal network analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Directional Relations Between Symptoms of Adolescent Smartphone Addiction, Academic Burnout, and Psychological Distress: A Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis.Psychology research and behavior management · 2026Article
- The temporal stability of core symptoms of social media addiction and their comorbidity with anxiety and depression in adolescents: a longitudinal network analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Cross-lagged analysis of depression symptoms and internet addiction tendencies among first-year university students and the moderating effects of urban-rural background and sibling status.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Network Analysis of Sensory Phenomena and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in OCD: A Multicenter Study.Depression and anxiety · 2026Article
- A study of the symptom network structure of internet addiction, non-suicidal self-injury and internalization problems in adolescents and its association with physical activity.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Depression and anxiety symptoms associated with internet addiction and non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese adolescent students - a network analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Fatigue as a central bridge: temporal dynamics between problematic smartphone use and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2025Article
- Network Analysis of Basic Psychological Need Frustration and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study.Research on child and adolescent psychopathology · 2025Article
- The relationship between physical activity and social network site addiction among adolescents: the chain mediating role of anxiety and ego-depletion.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- A simulation-based network analysis of intervention targets for comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety in Chinese healthcare workers in the post-dynamic zero-COVID policy era.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: There has been growing evidence of comorbidity between internet addiction and depression in youth during the COVID-19 period. According to the network theory, this may arise from the interplay of symptoms shared by these two mental disorders. Therefore, we examined this underlying process by measuring the changes in the central and bridge symptoms of the co-occurrence networks across time. Methods: A total of 852 Chinese college students were recruited during two waves (T1: August 2020; T2: November 2020), and reported their internet addiction symptoms and depressive symptoms. Network analysis was utilized for the statistical analysis. Results: The internet addiction symptoms "escape" and "irritable," and depression symptoms "energy" and "guilty" were the central symptoms for both waves. At the same time, "guilty" and "escape" were identified as bridge symptoms. Notably, the correlation between "anhedonia" and "withdrawal" significantly increased, and that between "guilty" and "escape" significantly decreased over time. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the central features of internet addiction and depression during the two stages. Interestingly, "guilty" and "escape," two functions of the defense mechanism, are identified as bridge symptoms. These two symptoms are suggested to activate the negative feedback loop and further contribute to the comorbidity between internet addiction and depression. Thus, targeting interventions on these internalized symptoms may contribute to alleviating the level of comorbidity among college students.
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