TY - JOUR
T1 - The COVID-19 pandemic and problematic usage of the internet
T2 - Findings from a diverse adult sample in South Africa
AU - Lochner, Christine
AU - Albertella, Lucy
AU - Kidd, Martin
AU - Kilic, Zelal
AU - Ioannidis, Konstantinos
AU - Grant, Jon E.
AU - Yücel, Murat
AU - Stein, Dan J.
AU - Chamberlain, Samuel R.
N1 - Funding Information:
MY is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Fellowship (APP1117188) and the David Winston Turner Endowment Fund. DJS has received research grants and/or consultancy honoraria from Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Servier, Takeda and VistaGen. JEG has received research grants from the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Biohaven, Promentis, and Avanir Pharmaceuticals. SRC's role in this study was funded by a Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellowship. He receives and honorarium from Elsevier for journal editorial work, and previously consulted for Promentis. This research was funded in whole, or in part, by Wellcome [110049/Z/15/Z and 110049/Z/15/A]. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied for a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. The other authors do not have any disclosures to report.
Funding Information:
National Research Foundation of South Africa (CSRU180501325167); European Network for Problematic Usage of the Internet (COST Action 16207)
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Background: The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has led to increased reliance on the internet. How problematic usage of the internet (PUI) and COVID-19 related stress and other clinical variables relate, is unknown. We hypothesised that higher PUI level would be significantly associated with higher levels of: (i) pandemic-related stress; and (ii) impulsive and compulsive symptoms and traits. Methods: An online community-based cross-sectional survey was used for data collection. Relationships between PUI level and other variables were characterised using correlational analyses. Regression analyses determined the cumulative explanatory power of variables, with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to explore path loadings. ANOVA was used to investigate PUI level at varying lockdown levels. Results: Data from 2110 participants (64.5% female), aged 18–64 years (mean: 24.3, SD: 8.1) suggested that approximately a quarter (n = 489, 23.2%) had medium to high level internet use problems. Impulsive and compulsive symptoms and traits, pandemic-stress, and age were all significantly related to PUI (p < 0.01). These associations (medium effect sizes) cumulatively explained 29% of PUI variance. PLS-SEM indicated significant contributory effects, with the association between age and PUI level mediated by impulsivity, pandemic-stress and compulsivity. Discussion: Pandemic-stress, impulsive-compulsive symptoms and traits and age were related to PUI level. Enhancing resilience to stress, particularly in vulnerable populations, through lifestyle changes and implementation of adaptive coping strategies, is key to reduce risk for PUI during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
AB - Background: The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has led to increased reliance on the internet. How problematic usage of the internet (PUI) and COVID-19 related stress and other clinical variables relate, is unknown. We hypothesised that higher PUI level would be significantly associated with higher levels of: (i) pandemic-related stress; and (ii) impulsive and compulsive symptoms and traits. Methods: An online community-based cross-sectional survey was used for data collection. Relationships between PUI level and other variables were characterised using correlational analyses. Regression analyses determined the cumulative explanatory power of variables, with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to explore path loadings. ANOVA was used to investigate PUI level at varying lockdown levels. Results: Data from 2110 participants (64.5% female), aged 18–64 years (mean: 24.3, SD: 8.1) suggested that approximately a quarter (n = 489, 23.2%) had medium to high level internet use problems. Impulsive and compulsive symptoms and traits, pandemic-stress, and age were all significantly related to PUI (p < 0.01). These associations (medium effect sizes) cumulatively explained 29% of PUI variance. PLS-SEM indicated significant contributory effects, with the association between age and PUI level mediated by impulsivity, pandemic-stress and compulsivity. Discussion: Pandemic-stress, impulsive-compulsive symptoms and traits and age were related to PUI level. Enhancing resilience to stress, particularly in vulnerable populations, through lifestyle changes and implementation of adaptive coping strategies, is key to reduce risk for PUI during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85134349896&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.035
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 35841819
AN - SCOPUS:85134349896
SN - 0022-3956
VL - 153
SP - 229
EP - 235
JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research
JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research
ER -