Features and predictors of problematic internet use in Chinese college students

• Published in: Behaviour & information technology 2009-09, Vol.28 (5), p.485-490
• Main Authors: Huang, R. L., Lu, Z., Liu, J. J., You, Y. M., Pan, Z. Q., Wei, Z., He, Q., Wang, Z. Z.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Addictive Behavior; At Risk Students; China; College Students; Computer Uses in Education; depression; Depression (Psychology); Diseases; Exact sciences and technology; Family Influence; Family Relationship; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Incidence; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Information seeking behaviour; Internet; Interpersonal Relationship; Library and information science. General aspects; Low Achievement; problematic internet use; Questionnaires; risk factor; Sciences and techniques of general use; Student Surveys; Students; Use and user studies. Information needs; Zung Self Rating Depression Scale
• ISSN: 0144-929X; 1362-3001
• DOI: 10.1080/01449290701485801

This study was set to investigate the prevalence of problematic internet use (PIU) among college students and the possible factors related to this disorder. About 4400 college students, ranging from freshmen to juniors, from eight different universities in Wuhan, China were surveyed. Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction (YDQ) and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale were used to define PIU and depression accordingly. Data was analysed with chi-squared testing and logistic regression. Out of the 3496 participants, 9.58% (male 13.54%, female 4.88%) met the criteria of PIU. Factors such as heavy internet use habits, poor academic achievement, lack of love from the family, etc. were found to be significantly associated with PIU. About 48.51% (1696) of the students were light internet users, who use the internet