ArticleDiseases (Basel, Switzerland)2026
Associations Between Problematic Internet Use, Attentional Control, and Mental Health Symptoms in Romanian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
introductionProblematic internet use has been increasingly associated with depression, anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms; however, its impact on attentional functioning has not been thoroughly researched. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Târgu Mureș, Romania, and aimed to examine the associations between problematic internet use, attentional control, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults, and to determine whether problematic internet use independently predicts attentional control after accounting for emotional symptoms.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 adults who completed an anonymous online survey between 1 January 2026 and 1 April 2026. Problematic internet use was assessed using the Compulsive Internet Use Scale-14 (CIUS-14), attentional control using the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7), and eating disorder risk using the SCOFF questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency analyses, Pearson correlations, group comparisons according to the CIUS-14 screening threshold, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.
resultsProblematic internet use was significantly associated with lower attentional control (r = -0.493,
conclusionsProblematic internet use was associated with poorer attentional control and greater emotional symptom severity in Romanian adults. These findings suggest that problematic internet use may be linked to a broader cognitive-emotional vulnerability profile. However, because of the cross-sectional design, self-report measures, convenience sampling, and lack of detailed information on specific online activities, the findings should be interpreted cautiously. Longitudinal studies using objective cognitive measures and more detailed assessment of digital behaviors are needed.
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