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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

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01-02-2020 | Original Article

Relationship Between Maladaptive Cognition and Internet Addiction in Chinese Adolescents: Moderated Mediation Analysis of Online Motivation and Effortful Control

Authors: Qin Zhang, Yun Wang, Yuhan Luo, Weixi Zeng, Qian Cui

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

This study explored the effect of online motivation and maladaptive cognition on adolescent Internet addiction and examined whether this process was moderated by effortful control. Cluster sampling was used to recruit 1221 middle school students as subjects (mean age = 13.45 years; 49.5% girls). The subjects completed an Internet addiction questionnaire, a maladaptive cognition questionnaire, an online motivation questionnaire, and an effortful control questionnaire anonymously. Results indicated that (1) maladaptive cognition exerted an indirect effect on Internet addiction via the complete mediating effect of online motivation, with sex, grade, and socioeconomic status controlled for; (2) this indirect effect was moderated mildly by effortful control and was stronger in students with lower levels of effortful control relative to that observed in students with higher levels of effortful control. Therefore, the results showed both mediating and moderating effects on the relationship between adaptive cognition and Internet addiction.

There are some online motivation measurements for different areas of Internet usage such as online learning motivation (Chen and Jang 2010), online consumption motivation (Seo and Green 2008), and online community motivation (Wang and Fesenmaier 2003). However, no specific questionnaire for OM has been developed, especially for negative motivation.

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Title: Relationship Between Maladaptive Cognition and Internet Addiction in Chinese Adolescents: Moderated Mediation Analysis of Online Motivation and Effortful Control
Authors: Qin Zhang
Yun Wang
Yuhan Luo
Weixi Zeng
Qian Cui
Publication date: 01-02-2020
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 1/2020
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9965-x

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Relationship Between Maladaptive Cognition and Internet Addiction in Chinese Adolescents: Moderated Mediation Analysis of Online Motivation and Effortful Control

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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