scholarly journals Problematic Internet use among residential college students during the COVID-19 lockdown: A social network analysis approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwei Xia ◽  
Yanying Fan ◽  
Tzu-Hsuan Liu ◽  
Zhihao Ma
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Peer Effects ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Problematic Internet Use ◽  
Residential College ◽  
Peer Environment

AbstractBackground and aimsDuring the COVID-19 lockdown, problematic Internet use (PIU) has become a serious issue among residential college students, who remain physically isolated from off-campus society. This study constructs an integrated model to investigate the influencing mechanisms of internal locus of control (LOC) and objective peer effects.MethodsResidential college students (n = 494) were surveyed from a single department of a Chinese university. An item from the World Value Survey was employed to measure internal LOC, while objective peer effects were assessed via friends’ mutual nominations. Finally, PIU was measured using Young’s Internet Addiction Tests, while a social network analysis and logit regression were combined to estimate various factors’ effects on PIU.ResultsIn our sample, the prevalence rate of PIU was 30.6%, and while internal LOC was a protective factor for PIU, its protective role was diluted when exposed to a peer environment with high PIU prevalence. Furthermore, indegree performed contrasting roles on PIU under various network conditions. It acted as a protective factor when exposed to a low prevalence of PIU in a peer environment; however, it became a risk factor when PIU peers were prevalent. Lastly, the protective efficacy of betweenness was activated when individuals had more than one PIU friend.Discussion and conclusionsFurther intervention studies focusing on individuals with a weak internal LOC are recommended during the lockdown. Additionally, interventions that consider the network structures carefully, may enhance the prevention of PIU.

scholarly journals The Research of Social Network Analysis on College Students' Interactive Relations

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Chang Chen ◽  
Min Chen
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Interpersonal Relations ◽  
Interaction Network ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
New Information

Nowadays the number of college students' suicides are increasing for the insufficient social support or poor interpersonal relations. Furthermore, not much attention has been concerned to students' interpersonal relations when handling student affairs and only very limited information about students' interaction network is available. This paper studies the peer network of college students by using the tool of social network analysis. And it aims to serve as instrumental support for students to foster and develop harmonious interpersonal relations. It offers new information for school counsellor to better handle student affairs and provides information support for the carrying out of moral and ideological guidance for students.

scholarly journals College Student Problematic Internet Use and Digital Communication Medium Used With Parents: Cross-Sectional Study

10.2196/17165 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e17165
Author(s):  
Bradley Kerr ◽  
Jon D D'Angelo ◽  
Ali Diaz-Caballero ◽  
Megan A Moreno
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
College Student ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Problematic Internet Use ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Communication Frequency ◽  
The Relationship

Background Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with mental health concerns such as depression and affects more than 12% of young adults. Few studies have explored potential influences of parent–college student digital communication on college students’ risk of PIU. Objective This study sought to understand the relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency via phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts and PIU among college students. Methods Incoming first-year students were randomly selected from registrar lists of a midwestern and northwestern university for a 5-year longitudinal study. Data from interviews conducted in summer 2014 were used. Measures included participants’ daily Facebook visits, communication frequency with parents via phone call and text message, and 3 variables related to Facebook connection status and communication: (1) parent–college student Facebook friendship status, (2) college student blocking personal Facebook content from parent, and (3) Facebook communication frequency. PIU risk was assessed using the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale. Analysis included participants who reported visiting Facebook at least once per day. Multiple linear regression was used, followed by a post hoc mediation with Hayes process macro to further investigate predictive relationships among significant variables. Results A total of 151 participants reported daily Facebook use and were included in analyses. Among these participants, 59.6% (90/151) were female, 62.3% (94/151) were from the midwestern university, and 78.8% (119/151) were white. Mean Facebook visits per day was 4.3 (SD 3.34). There was a collective significant effect between participant daily Facebook visits, college student–parent phone calls, texts, and all 3 Facebook connection variables (F6,144=2.60, P=.02, R2=.10). Phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts were not associated with PIU risk. However, two individual items were significant predictors for PIU: participant daily Facebook visits were positively associated with increased PIU risk (b=0.04, P=.006) and being friends with a parent on Facebook was negatively associated with PIU risk (b=–0.66, P=.008). Participant daily Facebook visits were not a significant mediator of the relationship between college student–parent Facebook friendship and PIU risk (b=–0.04; 95% CI –0.11 to 0.04). Conclusions This study did not find support for a relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency and PIU among college students. Instead, results suggested Facebook friendship may be a protective factor. Future studies should examine how a parent-child Facebook friendship might protect against PIU among children at varying developmental stages.

scholarly journals College Student Problematic Internet Use and Digital Communication Medium Used With Parents: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Kerr ◽  
Jon D D'Angelo ◽  
Ali Diaz-Caballero ◽  
Megan A Moreno
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
College Student ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Problematic Internet Use ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Communication Frequency ◽  
The Relationship

BACKGROUND Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with mental health concerns such as depression and affects more than 12% of young adults. Few studies have explored potential influences of parent–college student digital communication on college students’ risk of PIU. OBJECTIVE This study sought to understand the relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency via phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts and PIU among college students. METHODS Incoming first-year students were randomly selected from registrar lists of a midwestern and northwestern university for a 5-year longitudinal study. Data from interviews conducted in summer 2014 were used. Measures included participants’ daily Facebook visits, communication frequency with parents via phone call and text message, and 3 variables related to Facebook connection status and communication: (1) parent–college student Facebook friendship status, (2) college student blocking personal Facebook content from parent, and (3) Facebook communication frequency. PIU risk was assessed using the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale. Analysis included participants who reported visiting Facebook at least once per day. Multiple linear regression was used, followed by a post hoc mediation with Hayes process macro to further investigate predictive relationships among significant variables. RESULTS A total of 151 participants reported daily Facebook use and were included in analyses. Among these participants, 59.6% (90/151) were female, 62.3% (94/151) were from the midwestern university, and 78.8% (119/151) were white. Mean Facebook visits per day was 4.3 (SD 3.34). There was a collective significant effect between participant daily Facebook visits, college student–parent phone calls, texts, and all 3 Facebook connection variables (<i>F</i><sub>6,144</sub>=2.60, <i>P</i>=.02, <i>R</i><sup>2</sup>=.10). Phone calls, text messages, and Facebook contacts were not associated with PIU risk. However, two individual items were significant predictors for PIU: participant daily Facebook visits were positively associated with increased PIU risk (<i>b</i>=0.04, <i>P</i>=.006) and being friends with a parent on Facebook was negatively associated with PIU risk (<i>b</i>=–0.66, <i>P</i>=.008). Participant daily Facebook visits were not a significant mediator of the relationship between college student–parent Facebook friendship and PIU risk (<i>b</i>=–0.04; 95% CI –0.11 to 0.04). CONCLUSIONS This study did not find support for a relationship between parent–college student digital communication frequency and PIU among college students. Instead, results suggested Facebook friendship may be a protective factor. Future studies should examine how a parent-child Facebook friendship might protect against PIU among children at varying developmental stages.

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