Ecological Predictors and Trajectory of Internet Addiction from Childhood through Adolescence: A Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study
Journal
International journal of environmental research and public health
Journal Volume
18
Journal Issue
12
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
We examined multidimensional factors within four systems (individual, family, school, and community) that influence internet addiction across time among children through adolescence in Taiwan. We hypothesize that internet addiction increases from childhood to adolescence and that resilience, child neglect, positive school experiences, and community violence are significant predictors at baseline and of the rate of change across time. Based on stratified random sampling, a valid sample size of 6233 Taiwanese children participated in our study, which we began in 2014 and then followed this sample in 2016 and 2018 using repeated measures. We used hierarchical linear modeling to model changes in internet addiction across time (with equal two-year intervals between assessments) and the associations between the predictors and internet addiction over time. The results show that internet addiction increases from childhood to adolescence. After controlling for gender, we found that resilience and positive school experiences predict less internet addiction, whereas neglect and community violence predict greater internet addiction. Over time, greater resilience predicts a decreasing trajectory of internet addiction, whereas greater neglect and community violence predict a slower increasing trajectory and positive school experiences predict a faster-increasing trajectory. A holistic approach can help children cope with internet addiction.
Subjects
community violence; internet addiction; neglect; resilience; school experience
Community violence; Internet addiction; Neglect; Resilience; School experience
Other Subjects
child; education; family structure; Internet; violence; young population; Article; child; child neglect; community; controlled study; coping behavior; environmental factor; family; female; human; illness trajectory; internet addiction; longitudinal study; major clinical study; male; pilot study; prediction; prevalence; psychological resilience; school; school child; sex difference; Taiwan; Taiwanese; violence; addiction; adolescent; child abuse; Internet; internet addiction; Taiwan; Adolescent; Behavior, Addictive; Child; Child Abuse; Humans; Internet; Internet Addiction Disorder; Longitudinal Studies; Taiwan
Type
journal article