Problematic internet use and suicide ideation among Chinese adolescents: The indirect effects of insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag

Oct 14, 2023Journal of affective disorders

Problematic Internet Use and Suicidal Thoughts in Chinese Teens: The Role of Sleep Problems and Social Jetlag

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Abstract

The prevalence of problematic Internet use (PIU) and suicide ideation (SI) among adolescents was found to be 14.9% and 18.6%, respectively.

Problematic Internet use is associated with increased levels of suicide ideation in adolescents.
Insomnia symptoms, frequent nightmares, and social jetlag were significantly linked to suicide ideation.
Insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag may mediate the relationship between problematic Internet use and suicide ideation.
Social jetlag also appears to mediate the pathway from suicide ideation back to problematic Internet use.
Mediation effects of sleep and circadian issues were somewhat more pronounced in females compared to males.

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BACKGROUND: Problematic Internet use (PIU) is related to suicide ideation (SI) in adolescents, but little is known about the potential mechanisms between them. This study aimed to examine the mediation roles of insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag in the association of PIU with SI in adolescents.

METHODS: A total of 39,731 adolescents (mean age = 13.49 ± 0.76 years, 54.4 % males) from Shenzhen, China, participated in a cross-sectional survey. SI was assessed using the ninth item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. PIU was measured by the Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess insomnia symptoms, nightmare frequency, social jetlag, sleep duration, psychological distress, and social-demographical characteristics. Logistic regression and path analyses were performed to examine the associations between PIU, insomnia symptoms, nightmares, social jetlag, and SI.

RESULTS: The prevalence of PIU and SI were 14.9 % and 18.6 %, respectively. PIU, insomnia symptoms, frequent nightmares, and social jetlag were significantly associated with SI. Path analyses showed that the indirect effects of PIU on SI through insomnia symptoms, frequent nightmares, and social jetlag were significant. Conversely, social jetlag significantly mediated the pathway from SI to PIU. The mediation effect sizes of these sleep and circadian problems were slightly larger in females than in males.

LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design limited the capacity to infer causal relationships.

CONCLUSIONS: The associations between PIU and SI were mediated by sleep and circadian problems. These findings underscore the importance of assessing and intervening in sleep and circadian problems among adolescents with PIU or SI.

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Problematic internet use and suicide ideation among Chinese adolescents: The indirect effects of insomnia, nightmares, and social jetlag

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