Internet addiction and suicidal behavior among vocational high school students in Hunan Province, China: A moderated mediation model

Ziwei Teng; Yaru Zhang; Zirou Wei; Mengdong Liu; Meidai Tang; Yizhi Deng; Zhuohui Chen; Ying Wu; Runqi Liu; Yuanguang Yang; Menghui Gao; Jin Kun; Jindong Chen; Renrong Wu; Jing Huang

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1063605

Internet addiction and suicidal behavior among vocational high school students in Hunan Province, China: A moderated mediation model

Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 10:10:1063605. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1063605. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ziwei Teng¹, Yaru Zhang¹, Zirou Wei², Mengdong Liu³, Meidai Tang⁴, Yizhi Deng⁴, Zhuohui Chen⁵, Ying Wu⁶, Runqi Liu¹, Yuanguang Yang⁷, Menghui Gao¹, Jin Kun¹, Jindong Chen¹, Renrong Wu¹, Jing Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
² Mental Health Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Chenzhou No. 2 Middle School, Chenzhou, Hunan, China.
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁶ Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, The Third Peoples Hospital of Tongren, Tongren, China.

Abstract

Background: Vocational education is an important part of high school education in China. However, there is little research on high school students' mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicidal behavior (SB) among this population and the mediating role of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress in the relationship between Internet addiction (IA) and SB using a structural equation model.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among several vocational high school students in Hunan Province, and 7,968 valid questionnaires were obtained. General demographic data and data from the Dual-Mode Self-Control Scale, Athens Insomnia Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress scale-21, and Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale were collected. A structural equation model was used to explore the different pathways from IA to SB.

Results: Among the participants, 37.7, 15.7, and 21.8% reported suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts, respectively. The structural equation model confirmed that IA was indirectly related to SB and was mediated by insomnia and/or depression, anxiety, and stress.

Limitations: First, we only recruited students from vocational schools in Hunan Province, therefore, the sample may not represent the entire population of vocational students in China. Second, self-report scales were used in this study, and clinical diagnosis required professional interviews. Third, since this study had a cross-sectional design, the causal relationship between the variables could not be determined.

Conclusions: The prevalence of SB among vocational high school students in China was significantly high. The prevention of SB related to IA can be attributed to the improvement of insomnia and emotional problems.

Keywords: Internet addiction; anxiety; depression; stress; suicidal behavior; vocational education.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China / epidemiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / psychology
Humans
Internet Addiction Disorder
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* / epidemiology
Students / psychology
Suicidal Ideation*

Grants and funding

The study was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81901401 and 81971258), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Central South University (No. 2022ZZTS0242), Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (No. 2018B030334001), and National Natural Science Foundation of Hunan (Grant No. 2022JJ40691).