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She/Her/Hers
Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Academic Rank
Fellow or Postdoc
Department
Pediatric Newborn Medicine
Authors
G. Alice Woolverton, Courtney Stevens, Chris Hyeouk Hahm, Cindy H Liu
Principal Investigator
Cindy H Liu
Categories
Tags
Background- Problematic internet use (PIU), which includes social media misuse (SMM) and gaming misuse (GM), is uncontrollable and is associated with significant mental health impairment. PIU is also a coping behavior for COVID-19 related stress. We explored distress-related predictors of PIU in a young adult racially diverse sample during the pandemic.
Methods- Analyses used cross-sectional survey data (N = 1,956). Mental health diagnoses, financial distress, COVID-19-related emotions, psychological distress, distress tolerance, social support, loneliness, SMM, and GM were measured. Hierarchical multiple regressions identified variables associated with PIU. Racially stratified exploratory analyses examined if predictors held true across racial groups.
Results- Low distress tolerance was associated with GM and SMM, as were depression symptoms, with racial differences observed in stratified models. SMM was associated with younger age, and GM was associated with male gender. PTSD symptoms also predicted more GM. GM and SMM rates varied between racial groups. COVID-19-related stress and adjustment challenges predicted GM and SMM respectively, with racial differences observed in stratified models.
Conclusion- Clinicians should screen for stress-related PIU risk factors and bolster distress tolerance in vulnerable patients. Examining PIU alongside different forms of coping in a larger sample would further clarify groups differences in stress coping behaviors.
Background- Problematic internet use (PIU), which includes excessive social media misuse (SMM) and gaming misuse (GM), is hard to control and is associated with mental health problems. PIU helped individuals cope with stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored distress-related factors that predicted PIU in a young adult racially diverse sample during the pandemic.
Methods- Analyses used survey data from 1,959 individuals at one timepoint. Mental health diagnoses, financial distress, COVID-19-related emotions, psychological distress, distress tolerance, social support, loneliness, SMM, and GM were measured. Statistical analyses identify which variables were associated with more PIU. We also explored if these variables were the same or different across racial groups.
Results- Having a low ability to tolerate distress and depression symptoms were associated with GM and SMM. Younger individuals engaged in more SMM, and men engaged in more GM. PTSD symptoms also predicted more GM. GM and SMM rates varied between racial groups. COVID-19-related stress and adjustment challenges predicted GM and SMM respectively.
Conclusion- Clinicians should screen for stress-related PIU risk factors and increase distress tolerance in vulnerable patients. Examining PIU alongside different forms of coping in a larger sample would further clarify groups differences in stress coping behaviors.
