ArticleClinical child psychology and psychiatry2023
Using Theoretical Models of Problematic Internet Use to Inform Psychological Formulation: A Systematic Scoping Review.
Article in Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effectiveness of Psychological Treatments for Problematic Use of Internet, Video Games, Social Media and Instant Messaging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Pooled it
- Psychosocial correlates of internet addiction in adolescents with depression and non-suicidal self-injury: a cross-sectional study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Phenotypes associated with problematic online gaming and gambling: A clustering approach among young adults.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of a residential treatment camp for adolescents with problematic Internet use in Japan: A 3-month follow-up pilot controlled study.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Article
- Internet gaming disorder and verbal communication skills: the predictive role of listening and speaking skills in internet gaming disorder.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Technostress in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Mental Health Implications in Medical Education.Psychiatry investigation · 2026Article
- Early detection of problematic internet use among university students: psychometric validation of the PIUQ-9.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Looking Back After the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Parents' View on Screen Media Use, Psychopathology, and Psychological Burden in a Clinical Sample of Children and Adolescents.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The interaction between problematic internet use, diet quality, and disordered eating risk in adolescents: a mediation and network analysis.Eating and weight disorders : EWD · 2025Article
- The prevalence of Internet addiction and its impact on undergraduates' mental health in Lagos state, Nigeria.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- Validation of an Instrument for Detecting Problematic Internet Use in Adolescents.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Risks and protection: a qualitative study on the factors for internet addiction among elderly residents in Southwest China communities.BMC public health · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEmpirical research has been produced on the topic of 'Internet Addiction' or 'Problematic Internet Use' (PIU) for more than 20 years, with a variety of theoretical approaches suggested by scholars to account for the behaviour. However, the discourse has been fraught with debate around construct definition, measurement, and validity.
aimsThis review aimed to systematically review the extant literature on the topic of PIU, to identify the published psychological theories in the area, and to synthesise the findings to produce actionable information for practicing psychologists as well as academics.
methodGiven the breadth of the aims, a scoping review methodology was utilised. Four major reference libraries (Scopus, Proquest, Pubmed, Technology Research Database) were searched using a string of relevant terms.
resultsOf 1412 initial search results, eighteen theories were included in the study. Nine theories related to generalised PIU, seven related to specific Internet use issues, such as online gaming or social media, while two theories took account of both a generalised and specific view. Data were analysed using Formulation-Based Thematic Analysis (FBTA) to synthesise theory elements under the deductive headings of Predisposing, Precipitating, Maintaining, and Protective factors. DISCUSSION: The lack of protective factors against PIU was a prominent finding. The utility of the psychological formulation approach, particularly in an area fraught with conceptual debate and frustration with traditional medical classification systems, is emphasised.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.