Network analysis of childhood maltreatment and internet addiction in adolescents with major depressive disorder

Nov 5, 2024BMC psychiatry

Connections between childhood abuse and internet addiction in teens with major depression

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Abstract

A total of 332 adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder were studied to explore the relationship between and .

Network analysis identified 'Depress/moody/nervous being offline', 'Request an extension for longer time', and 'Sleep loss due to late-night logins' as central symptoms in the childhood maltreatment and internet addiction network.
'Emotional abuse', 'sexual abuse', and 'complaints about online time' were found to be key bridge symptoms connecting childhood maltreatment to internet addiction.
Significant connectivity among these symptoms suggests their critical role in linking childhood maltreatment and internet addiction.
The findings indicate a complex relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction in adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder.

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BACKGROUND: (CM) is closely linked to (IA), especially in adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Previous studies have shown that adolescents who experience CM are more likely to develop IA and other psychological problems. This study aims to explore the complex relationship between CM and IA through network analysis, particularly identifying the core symptoms and bridge symptoms to better understand the development of IA in these adolescents.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in seven hospitals in Anhui Province, China, involving 332 adolescents diagnosed with MDD using DSM-5 criteria. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) were used to assess CM and IA symptoms, respectively. Gender-based network analysis was also performed.

RESULTS: Network analysis constructed a CM-IA network and identified core and bridge symptoms. "Depress/moody/nervous being offline", "Request an extension for longer time", "Sleep loss due to late-night logins", and "emotional abuse" emerged as central symptoms within the CM-IA network. Additionally, "emotional abuse", "sexual abuse", and "complaints about online time" were identified as key bridge symptoms linking CM and IA. These symptoms demonstrated significant connectivity, underscoring their critical role in linking CM and IA.

CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the complex relationship between CM and IA in adolescents with MDD. Specific symptoms, such as emotional abuse and online-related symptoms, play important roles in understanding and intervening in adolescent IA. Future interventions should target these core and bridge symptoms for more effective prevention and treatment.

Key numbers

93%

Participation Rate

Out of 356 invited adolescents, 332 completed the assessment.

15.32 years

Average Age

Mean age of participants with a standard deviation of 1.62.

242 of 332

Gender Distribution

Participants included 242 males and 90 females.

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Network analysis of childhood maltreatment and internet addiction in adolescents with major depressive disorder

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