The Relationship between Academic Procrastination and Internet Addiction in College Students: The Multiple Mediating Effects of Intrusive Thinking and Depression-Anxiety-Stress

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the relationship between academic procrastination and Internet addiction in contemporary college students based on the theory of limited self-control, and to investigate the multiple mediating effects of intrusive thinking, depression, anxiety and stress. Methods: 306 college students were investigated with the general procrastination behavior questionnaire, intrusive thinking questionnaire, DASS (anxiety-depression-Stress) scale and Internet addiction questionnaire. Results: 1) there were significant gender differences in the variables of intrusive thinking, mainly girls’ intrusive thinking was more than boys’. Individuals with or without traumatic experience have significant differences in Internet addiction, depression, anxiety and stress, which is mainly manifested as that individuals with traumatic experience are higher than those without traumatic experience. 2) Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between academic procrastination, intrusive thinking, depression, anxiety, stress and Internet addiction. 3) The multiple mediating effect test showed that academic procrastination affected Internet addiction through three indirect pathways, namely, the independent mediating role of intrusive thinking, the independent mediating role of DASS, and the chain mediating role of intrusive thinking and DASS. Conclusions: Academic procrastination has a significant effect on Internet addiction, and this effect is formed through the multiple mediating effects of intrusive thinking and DASS.