The association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction among middle school students: the mediating role of emotional and behavioral problems
10.3760/cma.j.cn113661-20231112-00202
- VernacularTitle:中学生童年期虐待与网络成瘾的关联：情绪行为问题的中介作用
- Author:
Qianyu LIU
1
;
Chongyi WANG
1
;
Lan GUO
1
Author Information
1. 中山大学公共卫生学院，广州 510080
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Emotions;
Behaviors;
Middle school students;
Childhood maltreatment;
Internet addiction
- From:
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry
2024;57(6):351-359
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the prevalence and distribution of childhood maltreatment, internet addiction, and emotional and behavioral problems among middle school students in Guangzhou, and to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction and the mediating role of emotional and behavioral problems.Methods:A total of 1 957 students from 10 middle schools in Guangzhou were recruited using multistage cluster random sampling and were investigated with anonymous questionnaires including the general demographic data, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short form (CTQ-SF), the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction, and the Bootstrap approach was used to reveal the potential mediating effect of emotional and behavioral problems on the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction.Results:The prevalence of internet addiction among middle school students in Guangzhou was 14.4%(270/1 873), and the median ( IQR) score for IAT was 33 (16). The linear regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for potential confounders, trauma exposure (β=2.217, P<0.001) and abuse exposure (β=4.689, P<0.001) were positively associated with internet addiction. Bootstrap approach and path analysis showed that there was a partial mediating effect of internal problems (β=0.305, 95% CI=0.154-0.480) and external problems (β=1.306, 95% CI=0.992-1.667) on the relationship between trauma exposure and internet addiction. Meanwhile, internal problems (β=0.413, 95% CI=0.185-0.678) and external problems (β=1.835, 95% CI=1.338-2.379) also partially mediate the relationship between abuse exposure and internet addiction. Conclusion:There is a relatively high prevalence of internet addiction among middle school students in Guangzhou. Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for internet addiction among middle school students, and there is a partial mediating effect of emotional and behavioral problems.
