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Relationships Among Mobile Internet Use, Social Support, and Depressive Symptoms: Prospective Cohort Study Among
Yingyue Xu1,2,3,4, Meiqi Wang1,2,3,4, Qixiu Li2,3
1Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|November 14, 2025
Summary
Increased mobile internet use (MIU) among rural Chinese adults improved social support, which in turn reduced depressive symptoms. This highlights the potential of digital health strategies to enhance mental well-being in underserved communities.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health Interventions
- Mental Health Research
- Rural Health Disparities
Background:
- The relationship between mobile internet use (MIU) and mental health, particularly depressive symptoms, remains unclear in longitudinal studies.
- The mediating role of social support in the MIU-depressive symptom relationship is underexplored, especially in rural populations.
- Existing research often relies on cross-sectional data, limiting understanding of temporal dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal associations between MIU, social support, and depressive symptoms in rural China.
- To test the hypothesis that increased MIU predicts enhanced social support over time.
- To examine whether social support mediates the link between MIU and reduced depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- A 2-wave longitudinal cohort study with a 4-year interval involving 489 rural Chinese residents (mean age 63.3).
- Data collection included customized surveys for MIU patterns, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale.
- Advanced statistical analyses, including least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and cross-lagged panel modeling, were employed.
Main Results:
- Increased MIU at baseline was associated with improved perceived social support at follow-up (P=.049).
- A bidirectional relationship was observed between social support and depressive symptoms; higher social support predicted fewer depressive symptoms (P=.03), and higher depressive symptoms predicted lower social support (P=.04).
- Social support fully mediated the relationship between MIU and depressive symptoms, with no direct effect found between MIU and depressive symptoms across time points.
Conclusions:
- Mobile internet use can positively influence social support, subsequently mitigating depressive symptoms in rural older adults.
- Findings support the development of mobile-based interventions promoting social interaction to improve mental well-being in underserved areas.
- Public health initiatives should integrate digital literacy training and encourage online behaviors that strengthen real-world social connections.
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