Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major
BackgroundInternet Addiction (IA) has become a significant public health issue, particularly among medical students. However, research on IA within medical students with a psychiatric major, who receive specialized mental health training, remains limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence o...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1625824/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849418690223669248 |
|---|---|
| author | Ying Lu Ying Lu Yue Lu Yu Tian Yu Gan Xiaolu Chen Xiaolu Chen Xiao Li Xiao Li |
| author_facet | Ying Lu Ying Lu Yue Lu Yu Tian Yu Gan Xiaolu Chen Xiaolu Chen Xiao Li Xiao Li |
| author_sort | Ying Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundInternet Addiction (IA) has become a significant public health issue, particularly among medical students. However, research on IA within medical students with a psychiatric major, who receive specialized mental health training, remains limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of IA and its associations with mental health variables (depression, anxiety, impulsivity) and social factors among medical students with a psychiatric major, while exploring the mediating role of mental health variables in the relationship between academic year and IA.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 390 medical students with a psychiatric major at Chongqing Medical University from February to May 2021. Participants completed validated instruments, including Young’s Internet Addiction Test (Y-IAT), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Demographic and social factors were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square test, correlation analyses. Mediation analyses were conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4).ResultsThe average Y-IAT score was 37.57 ± 13.80, with 17.7% meeting the criteria for IA (Y-IAT ≥50). Additionally, participants reported low levels of depressive (PHQ-9 = 2.04 ± 3.01) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 = 1.26 ± 2.58). IA was significantly associated with increased impulsivity (r = 0.534, p < 0.001), depression (r = 0.399, p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.347, p < 0.001), academic stress (r = 0.239, p < 0.001), poor peer relationships (r = 0.199, p < 0.001), and peer bullying experiences (r = 0.137, p < 0.05). A higher academic year was associated with a reduction in IA, partly mediated by decreased impulsivity (B = −0.7556, 36.60%) and depressive symptoms (B = −0.2640, 12.80%).ConclusionMedical students with a psychiatric major showed a relatively lower prevalence of IA, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Higher academic years were associated with reduced IA via lower impulsivity and depressive symptoms, potentially due to enhanced psychological literacy. Additionally, poor peer and parental relationships, along with experiences of peer bullying, were linked to higher IA risk, highlighting the importance of stronger social support and early intervention. Future studies should explore targeted psychological and educational interventions to mitigate IA among students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4f0eae3eca574be2a218f53a0eb44c0d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-4f0eae3eca574be2a218f53a0eb44c0d2025-08-20T03:32:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-07-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.16258241625824Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric majorYing Lu0Ying Lu1Yue Lu2Yu Tian3Yu Gan4Xiaolu Chen5Xiaolu Chen6Xiao Li7Xiao Li8Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of the First Clinical Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaSleep & Psychosomatic Medical Center-ward, Dazu Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chongqing Yongchuan Mental Health Center, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Chongqing Eleventh People’s Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Major Brain Disease and Aging Research (Ministry of Education), The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Major Brain Disease and Aging Research (Ministry of Education), The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, ChinaBackgroundInternet Addiction (IA) has become a significant public health issue, particularly among medical students. However, research on IA within medical students with a psychiatric major, who receive specialized mental health training, remains limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of IA and its associations with mental health variables (depression, anxiety, impulsivity) and social factors among medical students with a psychiatric major, while exploring the mediating role of mental health variables in the relationship between academic year and IA.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 390 medical students with a psychiatric major at Chongqing Medical University from February to May 2021. Participants completed validated instruments, including Young’s Internet Addiction Test (Y-IAT), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Demographic and social factors were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square test, correlation analyses. Mediation analyses were conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4).ResultsThe average Y-IAT score was 37.57 ± 13.80, with 17.7% meeting the criteria for IA (Y-IAT ≥50). Additionally, participants reported low levels of depressive (PHQ-9 = 2.04 ± 3.01) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 = 1.26 ± 2.58). IA was significantly associated with increased impulsivity (r = 0.534, p < 0.001), depression (r = 0.399, p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.347, p < 0.001), academic stress (r = 0.239, p < 0.001), poor peer relationships (r = 0.199, p < 0.001), and peer bullying experiences (r = 0.137, p < 0.05). A higher academic year was associated with a reduction in IA, partly mediated by decreased impulsivity (B = −0.7556, 36.60%) and depressive symptoms (B = −0.2640, 12.80%).ConclusionMedical students with a psychiatric major showed a relatively lower prevalence of IA, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Higher academic years were associated with reduced IA via lower impulsivity and depressive symptoms, potentially due to enhanced psychological literacy. Additionally, poor peer and parental relationships, along with experiences of peer bullying, were linked to higher IA risk, highlighting the importance of stronger social support and early intervention. Future studies should explore targeted psychological and educational interventions to mitigate IA among students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1625824/fullinternet addiction (IA)medical studentsdepressionanxietyimpulsivitysocial support |
| spellingShingle | Ying Lu Ying Lu Yue Lu Yu Tian Yu Gan Xiaolu Chen Xiaolu Chen Xiao Li Xiao Li Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major Frontiers in Psychiatry internet addiction (IA) medical students depression anxiety impulsivity social support |
| title | Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| title_full | Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| title_fullStr | Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| title_full_unstemmed | Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| title_short | Internet addiction and mental health: a cross-sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| title_sort | internet addiction and mental health a cross sectional study and mediation analysis in medical students with a psychiatric major |
| topic | internet addiction (IA) medical students depression anxiety impulsivity social support |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1625824/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yinglu internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT yinglu internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT yuelu internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT yutian internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT yugan internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT xiaoluchen internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT xiaoluchen internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT xiaoli internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor AT xiaoli internetaddictionandmentalhealthacrosssectionalstudyandmediationanalysisinmedicalstudentswithapsychiatricmajor |