Characteristic Structure of the Relationships Among Depression, Maladaptive Cognition, and Internet Addiction and Its Temporal Evolution in University Students: A Network Analysis

Abstract

This study explored the structure and temporal evolution of the relationship among depression, maladaptive cognition, and internet addiction (DMI) among university students by focusing on topological and dynamic properties in a network analysis. A 3-year longitudinal survey was conducted with 873 university students (Mage = 18.32, SD = 0.74). The results of network analysis showed “compulsive internet use and withdrawal symptoms” as part of internet addiction and “depressive emotions” as part of depression were the core characteristics in the DMI relational structure. Additionally, “compulsive internet use and withdrawal symptoms” was most pronounced for freshmen, whereas “depressive emotions” were most pronounced for sophomores and juniors. These findings suggest that interventions addressing DMI among university students should not only focus on the key aspects of “compulsive internet use and withdrawal symptoms” and “depressive emotions,” but also consider differences between students at different years of study.