03-01-2024 | Addiction
Will Internet Availability Fuel Problematic Internet Use? A Cross-Temporal Meta-analysis of Patterns in China from 2003 to 2020
Authors:
Xiaoli Han, Shaozhen Zhang, Shuang Miao, Zewen Wu, Marc N. Potenza, Wenliang Su
Published in:
Current Addiction Reports
|
Issue 1/2024
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Abstract
Purpose of Review
Problematic internet use (PIU) has varied across countries and eras, but how it may relate to internet availability has not been well examined. This cross-temporal meta-analysis aimed to explore the association between PIU severity changes and internet availability development in China over the past few decades and how it may relate to gender and age.
Recent Findings
The results showed that China’s overall PIU level has increased over time, and these changes were associated with the increase in factors related to internet availability. Gender-related differences in PIU decreased over time, and it appeared related to more gender equality in internet penetration and use. In addition, college students with relatively higher internet availability were found to have higher overall PIU scores than secondary-school students, and that their PIU scores increased over time, while secondary-school students’ scores remained largely consistent.
Summary
PIU severity increased in China during 2003–2020, and it appears to be associated with the increase in internet availability, which supports the internet availability hypothesis on PIU.