The link between problematic internet use, problematic gaming, and psychological distress: does sleep quality matter?

Abstract

Introduction This study aimed to examine the mediating role of sleep quality in the association of problematic internet use (PIU) and problematic gaming with psychological distress among college students in China. Methods Data of 1040 full-time students from multiple colleges in China were examined. Respondents were asked about their internet use and gaming behaviors, sleep quality, psychological distress, and sociodemographic characteristics. The mediating role of sleep quality in the PIU- and problematic gaming-psychological distress link was examined respectively. Results PIU was associated with decreased sleep quality (r = .32, p < .001) and increased psychological distress (r = .46, p < .001). Problematic gaming was also associated with decreased sleep quality (r = .22, p < .001) and increased psychological distress (r = .46, p < .001). Sleep quality accounted for 23.5% of the indirect effect of PIU on psychological distress, and 17.9% of the indirect effect of problematic gaming on psychological distress. Conclusions Sleep quality had a meaningful mediating effect on the PIU-psychological distress link, but only exerted a small mediating effect on the problematic gaming-psychological distress link. In addition to promoting healthy internet usage, strategies aimed at mitigating the negative effect of excessive internet use on psychological health might benefit from those aimed at improving sleep quality.

Gaming Behaviors and the Association with Sleep Duration, Social Jetlag, and Difficulties Falling Asleep among Norwegian Adolescents

“…Further, Rehbein et al [64] found that IGD was associated with a higher occurrence of problems sleeping in the past week. Similarly, significant associations between addicted gaming, sleep onset length [65], sleep quality [66,67], and insomnia [68][69][70] have also been found. As with weekday sleep, the missing association with engaged gaming in the present study is surprising, as screen time alone has been associated with difficulties falling asleep [7,36,61], suggesting an association with non-problematic gaming.…”

Prevalence of problematic Internet use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

“…For instance, Guo et al [20] carried out a study with 30,581 Chinese university students and reported a PIU prevalence estimate of 8.4%. Another Chinese study [21] comprising 1956 adolescent school students reported a PIU prevalence estimate of 14.5%. In a recent Ethiopian cross-sectional study [22] , a PIU prevalence estimate of 19.4% was reported among 761 university students.…”

Relación entre uso problemático de internet y calidad de sueño durante la pandemia de COVID-19

“…Asimismo, existen varias investigaciones que analizan la calidad de sueño en universitarios relacionada con algunos factores entre ellos la adicción al internet, por ejemplo, la realizada en la Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo en Perú en la que el 85 % de estudiantes presentaron una calidad deficiente de sueño asociada a la carga académica que consecuentemente conlleva el uso de internet para realizar trabajos e investigaciones [13]. Del mismo modo, en un estudio llevado a cabo en estudiantes de múltiples universidades de China [14] se determinó que existe una asociación significativa entre el uso problemático de internet con la disminución de la calidad del sueño (r = 0,32, p < 0, 001).…”

“…De esta manera la tabla 4 presentó suficiente evidencia empírica (r = 0,195 y p = 0,034) para concluir que existe una relación estadísticamente significativa moderada entre el uso problemático del internet y la calidad de sueño. Algunos autores corroboran que existe esta asociación [14], entre ellos se destaca un estudio [2] realizado utilizando una metodología diferente (razones de prevalencias crudas RPc y ajustadas RPa) en el que se obtuvo como resultado que el uso problemático de internet se relaciona con una mala calidad de sueño (RPa: 1,51; IC 95 %: 1,01-2,23). De igual manera, en una investigación llevada a cabo en una universidad mexicana [30] se determinó que los estudiantes que pasaban más tiempo conectados a internet se iban a dormir más tarde afectando su calidad de sueño (r = 0,301, p = 0,003).…”