JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Recent longitudinal studies have revealed the heterogeneity of the developmental trajectory of internet addiction (IA), which is believed due to the influences of inter-individual variables. In a social-cognitive framework, family environment (FE) and obsessive beliefs (OBs) are associated with IA severity. However, it remains unclear how these environment and individual cognition factors interact to influence IA development.

Objective:

This study aimed to identify the growth trajectories of IA among college students, considering individual differences over time, and to explore how FE and OBs contribute to the identified trajectories.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 3,575 first-year college students (female: 65.29%, mean age = 18.7 ± 0.9) was recruited, with longitudinal data collected over three waves (2019–2021) and retention rates of 72.4% (n = 2,585) at T1 and 61.34% (n = 2,193) at T2. IA trajectories were classified using Latent Growth Mixture Model (LGMM), and the effects of FE and OBs on the IA intercept and slope were examined by Latent Growth Curve Model (LGCM). Multivariate logistic regression assessed the predictive effects of FE and OBs on trajectory classification, controlling for sex, residence and parents’ education. Furthermore, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to map the road from FE and OBs to follow-up IA.

Results:

LGMM uncovered four distinct trajectories: High-Risk (5.09%), Medium to High-Risk (29.85%), Medium to Low-Risk (35.95%), and Low-Risk (29.11%), while LGCM revealed that both FE and OBs significantly influenced IA initial level (intercept: β FE_cohesion/ conflict = -0.169/ -0.191, P < .001; β OBs_responsibility/ control of thoughts = 0.129/ 0.279, P < .05) and development rate (slope: β FE_conflict = 0.073, P < .05; β OBs_ control of thoughts = -0.165, P < .001); Furthermore, logistic regression showed that compared to the Low-Risk group: High-Risk students exhibited reduced cohesion (OR = 0.831, P < .01), elevated conflict (OR = 0.866, P < .05), and lower independence (OR = 0.841, P < .05); Medium-High Risk showed higher conflict (OR = 0.890, P < .01) and OBs (OR responsibility = 1.020; OR control of thoughts = 1.028, P < .01); Medium-Low Risk had increased conflict (OR = 0.911, P < .05). Moreover, SEM demonstrated a significant partial mediation effect of OBs on the relationship between FE and follow-up IA (effect T0/ T1/ T2 = -0.03/ -0.02/ -0.02, P < .001).

Conclusions:

This study reveals four heterogeneous IA trajectories among college students, influenced by both FE and OBs through their effects on the IA initial level and development rate. Notably, FE not only influences IA development directly, but also exerts its influence indirectly through the mediation of OBs. These findings highlight the necessity of targeted interventions addressing family environmental risk factors and maladaptive obsessive beliefs in youth for IA.