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. 2017 Jun 22:8:1047.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01047. eCollection 2017.

Reciprocal Relationship between Internet Addiction and Network-Related Maladaptive Cognition among Chinese College Freshmen: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

Piguo Han  1   2 , Peng Wang  1 , Qingnan Lin  2 , Yu Tian  1 , Fengqiang Gao  1 , Yingmin Chen  1
Affiliations

Reciprocal Relationship between Internet Addiction and Network-Related Maladaptive Cognition among Chinese College Freshmen: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

Piguo Han et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

This study explored the reciprocal relationship between Internet addiction (IA) and network-related maladaptive cognition (NMC) in Chinese college freshmen. A short-term longitudinal survey with a sample of 213 college freshmen was conducted in Shandong province, China. The results revealed that IA can significantly predict the generation and development of NMCs, and that when such maladaptive cognitions have been established, they can further adversely affect the extent of the students' IA. A vicious cycle was observed between these two variables, with IA having predictive priority in its relationship with NMC. This study also determined that the relationship between these two variables was the same for both males and females; therefore, the final model we established can be extensively applied to Chinese college freshmen, regardless of gender. Understanding the reciprocal relationship between these two variables can assist in interventions in IA at the outset of students' college life.

Keywords: Chinese; Internet addiction; college freshmen; cross-lagged panel survey; network-related maladaptive cognition.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use (Davis, 2001).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Hypothesized model.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Results from cross-lagged analysis. Single-arrowed lines represent path coefficients and double-arrowed lines represent covariances. Dashed lines indicate non-significant coefficients, and solid lines indicate significant coefficients. ∗∗∗indicate coefficient is significant at 0.001 level, ∗∗indicate coefficient is significant at 0.01 level, and ∗indicate coefficient is significant at 0.05 level.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Theoretical model of the present study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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