IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i17p3225-d263765.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Relationship between Self-Identity Confusion and Internet Addiction among College Students: The Mediating Effects of Psychological Inflexibility and Experiential Avoidance

Author

Listed:
  • Kuan-Ying Hsieh

    (Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung 80276, Taiwan
    Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan)

  • Ray C. Hsiao

    (Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
    Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Yi-Hsin Yang

    (Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
    School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan)

  • Kun-Hua Lee

    (Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu City 30013, Taiwan)

  • Cheng-Fang Yen

    (Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
    Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan)

Abstract

Internet addiction (IA) has become a major public health problem among college students. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between self-identity confusion and IA and the mediating effects of psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance (PI/EA) indicators in college students. A total of 500 college students (262 women and 238 men) were recruited. Their levels of self-identity were evaluated using the Self-Concept and Identity Measure. Their levels of PI/EA were examined using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. The severity of IA was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. The relationships among self- identity, PI/EA, and IA were examined using structural equation modeling. The severity of self-identity confusion was positively associated with both the severity of PI/EA and the severity of IA. In addition, the severity of PI/EA indicators was positively associated with the severity of IA. These results demonstrated that the severity of self-identity confusion was related to the severity of IA, either directly or indirectly. The indirect relationship was mediated by the severity of PI/EA. Self-identity confusion and PI/EA should be taken into consideration by the community of professionals working on IA. Early detection and intervention of self-identity confusion and PI/EA should be the objectives for programs aiming to lower the risk of IA.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuan-Ying Hsieh & Ray C. Hsiao & Yi-Hsin Yang & Kun-Hua Lee & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2019. "Relationship between Self-Identity Confusion and Internet Addiction among College Students: The Mediating Effects of Psychological Inflexibility and Experiential Avoidance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:17:p:3225-:d:263765
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/17/3225/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/17/3225/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daria J. Kuss & Mark D. Griffiths, 2011. "Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-25, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Diya Dou & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2021. "Concurrent and Longitudinal Relationships between Positive Youth Development Attributes and Adolescent Internet Addiction Symptoms in Chinese Mainland High School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Myriam Forster & Christopher J. Rogers & Steven Sussman & Jonathan Watts & Tahsin Rahman & Sheila Yu & Stephanie M. Benjamin, 2021. "Can Adverse Childhood Experiences Heighten Risk for Problematic Internet and Smartphone Use? Findings from a College Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Olatz Lopez-Fernandez, 2021. "Emerging Health and Education Issues Related to Internet Technologies and Addictive Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Inmaculada Méndez & Ana Belén Jorquera & Cecilia Ruiz Esteban & José Manuel García-Fernández, 2020. "Profiles of Problematic Internet Use in Bullying and Cyberbullying among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-11, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Majid Altuwairiqi & Nan Jiang & Raian Ali, 2019. "Problematic Attachment to Social Media: Five Behavioural Archetypes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-36, June.
    2. Alexis M. McCarroll & Bree E. Holtz & Dar Meshi, 2021. "Searching for Social Media Addiction: A Content Analysis of Top Websites Found through Online Search Engines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Élodie Verseillié & Stéphanie Laconi & Henri Chabrol, 2020. "Pathological Traits Associated to Facebook and Twitter among French Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-9, March.
    4. Juyeong Lee & Woosung Kim, 2021. "Prediction of Problematic Smartphone Use: A Machine Learning Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Kuan-Ying Hsieh & Ray C. Hsiao & Yi-Hsin Yang & Tai-Ling Liu & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2018. "Predictive Effects of Sex, Age, Depression, and Problematic Behaviors on the Incidence and Remission of Internet Addiction in College Students: A Prospective Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Perera S.N.M.G. & Samaraweera G.R.S.R.C. ., 2020. "Determinants of Social Media Addiction of Employees in Services Sector in Sri Lanka," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 4(6), pages 338-345, June.
    7. Siti Rubiaehtul Hassim & Wan Nor Arifin & Yee Cheng Kueh & Nor Azwany Yaacob, 2020. "Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Malay Version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale among Medical Students in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-10, May.
    8. Caterina Primi & Giulia Fioravanti & Silvia Casale & Maria Anna Donati, 2021. "Measuring Problematic Facebook Use among Adolescents and Young Adults with the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale: A Psychometric Analysis by Applying Item Response Theory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.
    9. Melina A. Throuvala & Mark D. Griffiths & Mike Rennoldson & Daria J. Kuss, 2021. "Policy Recommendations for Preventing Problematic Internet Use in Schools: A Qualitative Study of Parental Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-23, April.
    10. Dilek Åžahin, 2023. "Mediating Effect of Creativity on How Burnout Affects Social Media Use: An Examination on Physicians," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    11. Elnur Rustamov & Tunzala Musayeva & Xalida Xalilova & Gultekin Ismayilova & Ulviyya Nahmatova, 2023. "Association between Self-Esteem and Smartphone Addiction: The Mediating Role of Self-Control," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 46(1), pages 256-267, August.
    12. Sulasula, Josephine, 2023. "Effects of social media addiction on daily work performance of government employees," MPRA Paper 117995, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Isaac Vaghefi & Bogdan Negoita & Liette Lapointe, 2023. "The Path to Hedonic Information System Use Addiction: A Process Model in the Context of Social Networking Sites," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(1), pages 85-110, March.
    14. Kun-Hua Lee & Chia-Yu Lin & Jing Tsao & Lien Fang Hsieh, 2020. "Cross-Sectional Study on Relationships Among FoMO, Social Influence, Positive Outcome Expectancy, Refusal Self-Efficacy and SNS Usage," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-11, August.
    15. Karin Helmersson Bergmark & Anders Bergmark & Olle Findahl, 2011. "Extensive Internet Involvement—Addiction or Emerging Lifestyle?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-14, December.
    16. Tony Durkee & Vladimir Carli & Birgitta Floderus & Camilla Wasserman & Marco Sarchiapone & Alan Apter & Judit A. Balazs & Julio Bobes & Romuald Brunner & Paul Corcoran & Doina Cosman & Christian Harin, 2016. "Pathological Internet Use and Risk-Behaviors among European Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Enrique Ramón-Arbués & José Manuel Granada-López & Blanca Martínez-Abadía & Emmanuel Echániz-Serrano & Isabel Antón-Solanas & Michael Nash, 2021. "Prevalence and Factors Associated with Problematic Internet Use in a Population of Spanish University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-12, July.
    18. Jintao Liu & Md Zahir Ahmed & Oli Ahmed & Mark D. Griffiths & Lili Chen, 2021. "Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Problematic QQ Use Scale among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, June.
    19. Yeon-Jin Kim & Hye Min Jang & Youngjo Lee & Donghwan Lee & Dai-Jin Kim, 2018. "Effects of Internet and Smartphone Addictions on Depression and Anxiety Based on Propensity Score Matching Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-10, April.
    20. Mrs. Vijitha Thivakaran, 2024. "Misinformation on Social Media and Its Consequences: Issues to Consider in Tamil Media," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(11), pages 505-518, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:17:p:3225-:d:263765. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.