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How Does Psychological Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Internet Addiction and Instagram Addiction in Emerging Adults?

Author

Listed:
  • Giulia Ballarotto

    (Department of Dynamic, Clinical & Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Eleonora Marzilli

    (Department of Dynamic, Clinical & Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Luca Cerniglia

    (Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Silvia Cimino

    (Department of Dynamic, Clinical & Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Renata Tambelli

    (Department of Dynamic, Clinical & Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy)

Abstract

International research has underlined a worrying increase in Internet and Instagram addiction among emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the role played by alexithymia and psychological distress due to COVID-19 has been evidenced, no study has explored their complex relationship in predicting emerging adults’ Internet and Instagram addiction. The present study aimed to verify whether peritraumatic distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic mediated the relationship between emerging adults’ alexithymia and their Internet/Instagram addiction, in a sample composed of n = 400 Italian emerging adults. Results showed that females had higher peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19 than males, whereas males had higher externally oriented thinking and higher levels of Internet addiction than females. Emerging adults’ psychological distress due to COVID-19 significantly mediated the effect of alexithymia on Internet and Instagram addiction. Our findings supported the presence of a dynamic relationship between individual vulnerabilities and the co-occurrence of other psychological difficulties in predicting emerging adults’ Internet and Instagram addiction during the pandemic, with important clinical implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Giulia Ballarotto & Eleonora Marzilli & Luca Cerniglia & Silvia Cimino & Renata Tambelli, 2021. "How Does Psychological Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Internet Addiction and Instagram Addiction in Emerging Adults?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11382-:d:667904
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Giulia Ballarotto & Barbara Volpi & Renata Tambelli, 2021. "Adolescent Attachment to Parents and Peers and the Use of Instagram: The Mediation Role of Psychopathological Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-13, April.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Carmen Trumello & Laura Vismara & Cristina Sechi & Piera Ricciardi & Valentina Marino & Alessandra Babore, 2021. "Internet Addiction: The Role of Parental Care and Mental Health in Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Eleonora Marzilli & Luca Cerniglia & Silvia Cimino & Renata Tambelli, 2022. "Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Peritraumatic Distress, Attachment, and Alexithymia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-22, November.
    5. Turgut Karakose & Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir & Stamatios Papadakis & Ramazan Yirci & Secil Eda Ozkayran & Hakan Polat, 2022. "Investigating the Relationships between COVID-19 Quality of Life, Loneliness, Happiness, and Internet Addiction among K-12 Teachers and School Administrators—A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, January.

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