Cross-cultural insights into internet addiction and mental health: a network analysis from China and Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Internet addiction has emerged as a significant mental health issue among university students. The study aimed to compare the network structures of Internet addiction and mental health symptoms among university students in China and Malawi, which provide insights into culturally sensitive prevention and intervention strategies.

Methods

Network analysis was used on two datasets: Malawi (n = 688) and China (n = 975) using the Internet Addiction Test and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Network estimation, centrality, bridge estimation and network comparison, were conducted using R software.

Results

The prevalence of internet addiction and mental health was significantly higher in China than Malawi. In Malawi, the strongest edges were "school work" - "job per

SUBMITTER: Li M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11762860 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature