Insomnia and internet addiction: a longitudinal examination using random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Insomnia and internet addiction are prevalent among university students, negatively impacting well-being and academic success.
• Understanding the interplay between these conditions is crucial for effective intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bidirectional relationship between insomnia and internet addiction in college students over time.
• To differentiate between between-person and within-person effects using advanced statistical modeling.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study design with 313 university students.
• Data collection at three time points, six months apart.
• Application of random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM).

Main Results:

• No significant correlation was found between insomnia and internet addiction at the between-person level.
• A significant reciprocal relationship was observed at the within-person level: insomnia predicted increased internet addiction, and vice versa.
• These findings highlight a dynamic, mutually reinforcing interaction between the two conditions.

Conclusions:

• Insomnia and internet addiction exhibit a mutually reinforcing cycle at the individual level.
• Interventions should address both insomnia and internet addiction concurrently in university students.
• RI-CLPM provides valuable insights into the dynamic nature of these co-occurring issues.