Effects of internet addiction and academic satisfaction on mental health among college students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China

Ai-Ping Deng; Cong Wang; Jia Cai; Zhong-Yue Deng; Yun-Fei Mu; Hong-Jun Song; Ya-Jing Meng; Xian-Dong Meng; Xue-Hua Huang; Lan Zhang; Yi Huang; Wei Zhang; Jin Chen; Mao-Sheng Ran

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1243619

Effects of internet addiction and academic satisfaction on mental health among college students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Oct 26:14:1243619. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1243619. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ai-Ping Deng^{1

2}, Cong Wang^{1

3}, Jia Cai¹, Zhong-Yue Deng^{1

3}, Yun-Fei Mu^{1

3}, Hong-Jun Song², Ya-Jing Meng¹, Xian-Dong Meng¹, Xue-Hua Huang¹, Lan Zhang¹, Yi Huang¹, Wei Zhang¹, Jin Chen⁴, Mao-Sheng Ran^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
³ Psychiatric Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁴ Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

Background: Internet addiction (IA) among students, worsened by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has become a social problem with the digitalization of school learning and many aspects of daily life. However, few studies on IA have been conducted among students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China.

Method: This large-sample, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted to explore the characteristics of IA and the association among IA, academic satisfaction, and mental health problems from December 14, 2022 to February 28, 2023 in Sichuan, China. All participants (N = 22,605) were students in colleges and universities, recruited via their teachers and professors.

Results: Of all the participants, 14,921 (66.0%) participants had IA. Participants with IA were more likely to have depression symptom, anxiety symptom, insomnia, and lifetime suicidal ideation. In addition, participants with severe IA had significantly higher rates of mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal ideation) than those with mild IA. A significant IA-by-academic satisfactory-interaction on mental health was identified: participants with higher level of IA showed particularly severe symptom of depression, anxiety and insomnia when affected by low satisfactory of academy (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: This study reveals that IA has a significantly negative impact on mental health among college students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China. IA and academic satisfaction have interactive impacts on mental health problems among students. Further educational and health policies and psychosocial interventions should be developed to reduce IA and enhance academic satisfaction for improving students' mental health.

Keywords: China; academic satisfactory; internet addiction; mental health; students.

Grants and funding

Initial Research Fund, West China Hospital (WCH, No: 136220012, PI: M-SR). The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study, collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.