Published online Dec 19, 2023. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v13.i12.1133
Peer-review started: August 23, 2023
First decision: October 10, 2023
Revised: October 18, 2023
Accepted: November 21, 2023
Article in press: November 21, 2023
Published online: December 19, 2023
In the information age, the use of the internet and multimedia tools has large effects on the life of middle school students. Improper use of the internet may result in internet addiction (IA). Thus, actively exploring the factors influencing adolescent and the mechanism of addiction as well as promoting adolescent physical and mental health and academic development are priorities that families, schools, and society urgently need to address.
To explore the effect of childhood trauma on adolescent IA and to consider the roles of loneliness and negative coping styles.
A total of 11310 students from six junior high schools in Henan, China, completed the child trauma questionnaire, IA test, loneliness scale, and simple coping style questionnaire. In addition, data were collected from 1044 adolescents with child
We found that childhood trauma not only directly affected adolescents’ IA but also affected IA through loneliness and negative coping styles.
Therefore, this study has theoretical implications regarding adolescent mental health and may inform interventions for IA.
Core Tip: This study is concluded: (1) Childhood trauma has a positive predictive effect on teenagers’ internet addiction (IA); (2) Childhood trauma has a negative psychological and behavioral impact on teenagers; (3) Loneliness and negative coping styles play a chain intermediary role in the influence of childhood on IA among teenagers; and (4) IA.