Relationships Between the Three Stages of Internet Addiction and Its Risk Factors, and the Mediating Effect of Negative Affect
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Relationships Between the Three Stages of Internet Addiction and Its Risk Factors, and the Mediating Effect of Negative Affect

Che Liu 1*
1 The Affiliated High School of South China Normal University
*Corresponding author: louis.hadid22@outlook.com
Published on 4 July 2025
Volume Cover
CHR Vol.71
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-203-4
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-204-1
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Abstract

Internet addiction has been largely understood as a psychological disorder with severe consequences to individuals. Many of its correlations with potential risk factors like school climate and stress have been discovered and evaluated, yet few studies have applied its three-stage-cycle explanation to these correlations to reach a deeper understanding. This study aims to analyze the effect of risk factors like school climate and perceived stress on each stage of Internet addiction among adolescents, and offer a comparison. The study also examines the mediating effect of negative affect on these correlations, and takes a look at gender differences on this topic. 205 valid questionnaires were collected, assessing the participants by variables of school climate, perceived stress, negative affect, withdrawal and craving symptoms, and Internet addiction severity. Results and analysis demonstrate that the two risk factors were more significantly correlated with changes in severity of the Negative Affect/Withdrawal stage. A significant negative correlation and mediating effect of negative affect was found between school climate and Internet addiction, while no significant ones were found between perceived stress and Internet addiction. No significant differences were found between the two genders. In addition, no significant differences were found between genders. This study suggests potential new research directions of applying theoretical explanations to reach further understandings of Internet addiction, unexpected correlational and gender-related findings also suggest new explanations to the relationships between the different variables.

Keywords:

Internet Addiction, Addiction Cycle, Stress, School Climate, Negative Affect

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Liu,C. (2025). Relationships Between the Three Stages of Internet Addiction and Its Risk Factors, and the Mediating Effect of Negative Affect. Communications in Humanities Research,71,51-63.

References

[1]. Müller, K. W. , Glaesmer, H. , Brähler, E. , Woelfling, K. , & Beutel, M. E. (2013). Prevalence of internet addiction in the general population: results from a German population-based survey. Behaviour & Information Technology, 33(7), 757–766. https://doi. org/10. 1080/0144929x. 2013. 810778

[2]. Kuss, D. J. , van Rooij, A. J. , Shorter, G. W. , Griffiths, M. D. , & van de Mheen, D. (2013). Internet addiction in adolescents: Prevalence and risk factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), 1987–1996. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2013. 04. 002

[3]. Suhail, K. , & Bargees, Z. (2006). Effects of Excessive Internet Use on Undergraduate Students in Pakistan. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9(3), 297–307. https://doi. org/10. 1089/cpb. 2006. 9. 297

[4]. Koob, G. F. , & Volkow, N. D. (2010). Neurocircuitry of Addiction. Neuropsychopharmacology, 35(1), 217–238. https://doi. org/10. 1038/npp. 2009. 110

[5]. Chou, C. , Condron, L. , & Belland, J. C. (2005). A Review of the Research on Internet Addiction. Educational Psychology Review, 17(4), 363–388. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s10648-005-8138-1

[6]. Shaw, M. , & Black, D. W. (2008). Internet Addiction: Definition, Assessment, Epidemiology and Clinical Management. CNS Drugs, 22(5), 353–365. https://doi. org/10. 2165/00023210-200822050-00001

[7]. Yen, J. -Y. , Ko, C. -H. , Yen, C. -F. , Wu, H. -Y. , & Yang, M. -J. (2007). The Comorbid Psychiatric Symptoms of Internet Addiction: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Depression, Social Phobia, and Hostility. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41(1), 93–98. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. jadohealth. 2007. 02. 002

[8]. Ko, C. -H. . , Yen, J. -Y. . , Yen, C. -F. . , Chen, C. -S. . , & Chen, C. -C. . (2012). The association between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorder: A review of the literature. European Psychiatry, 27(1), 1–8. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. eurpsy. 2010. 04. 011

[9]. Alam, S. S. , Hazrul Nik Hashim, N. Mohd. , Ahmad, M. , Che Wel, C. A. , Nor, S. M. , & Omar, N. A. (2014). Negative and positive impact of internet addiction on young adults: Empericial study in Malaysia. Intangible Capital, 10(3). https://doi. org/10. 3926/ic. 452

[10]. Chamberlain, S. R. , Lochner, C. , Stein, D. J. , Goudriaan, A. E. , van Holst, R. J. , Zohar, J. , & Grant, J. E. (2016). Behavioural addiction—A rising tide? European Neuropsychopharmacology, 26(5), 841–855. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. euroneuro. 2015. 08. 013

[11]. Young, K. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237–244. https://doi. org/10. 1089/cpb. 1998. 1. 237

[12]. Grant, J. E. , Brewer, J. A. , & Potenza, M. N. (2006). The Neurobiology of Substance and Behavioral Addictions. CNS Spectrums, 11(12), 924–930. https://doi. org/10. 1017/s109285290001511x

[13]. Alavi, S. S. , Masoud Ferdosi, Fereshte Jannatifard, Eslami, M. , Hamed Alaghemandan, & Mehrdad Setare. (2012). Behavioral Addiction versus Substance Addiction: Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(4), 290. https://pmc. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/articles/PMC3354400/

[14]. Griffiths, M. (2005). A “components” model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 191–197. https://doi. org/10. 1080/14659890500114359

[15]. Reilly, M. T. , Noronha, A. , Goldman, D. , & Koob, G. F. (2017). Genetic studies of alcohol dependence in the context of the addiction cycle. Neuropharmacology, 122(1), 3–21. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. neuropharm. 2017. 01. 017

[16]. Cengizhan, C. (2005). Öğrencİlerİn bİlgİsayar ve internet kullaniminda yenİ bİr boyut:“İnternet bağimliliği”.  Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi,  22(22), 83-98.

[17]. Feng, Y. , Ma, Y. , & Zhong, Q. (2019). The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Stress and Internet Addiction: A Mediated-Moderation Model. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2248). https://doi. org/10. 3389/fpsyg. 2019. 02248

[18]. Li, D. , Zhou, Y. , Li, X. , & Zhou, Z. (2016). Perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction: The mediating role of deviant peer affiliation and the moderating role of effortful control. Computers in Human Behavior, 60, 54–61. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2016. 02. 015

[19]. Zhao, F. , Zhang, Z. -H. , Bi, L. , Wu, X. -S. , Wang, W. -J. , Li, Y. -F. , & Sun, Y. -H. (2017). The association between life events and internet addiction among Chinese vocational school students: The mediating role of depression. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 30–38. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2016. 12. 057

[20]. Wang, J. -L. , Rost, D. H. , Qiao, R. -J. , & Monk, R. (2020). Academic Stress and Smartphone Dependence among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model. Children and Youth Services Review, 105029. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. childyouth. 2020. 105029

[21]. Bear, G. G. , Gaskins, C. , Blank, J. , & Chen, F. F. (2011). Delaware School Climate Survey—Student: Its factor structure, concurrent validity, and reliability. Journal of School Psychology, 49(2), 157–174. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. jsp. 2011. 01. 001

[22]. Cohen, S. , Kamarck, T. , & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi. org/10. 2307/2136404

[23]. Watson, D. , Clark, L. A. , & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063–1070. https://doi. org/10. 1037/0022-3514. 54. 6. 1063

[24]. Szabo, M. , & Lovibond, P. F. (2022). Development and Psychometric Properties of the DASS-Youth (DASS-Y): An Extension of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) to Adolescents and Children. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(13). https://doi. org/10. 3389/fpsyg. 2022. 766890

[25]. Huebner, E. S. (1991). Initial Development of the Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale. School Psychology International, 12(3), 231–240. https://doi. org/10. 1177/0143034391123010

[26]. Koivumaa-Honkanen, H. , Kaprio, J. , Honkanen, R. , Viinamäki, H. , & Koskenvuo, M. (2004). Life satisfaction and depression in a 15-year follow-up of healthy adults. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39(12), 994–999. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s00127-004-0833-6

[27]. Somoza, E. , Baker, S. , Himmler, C. , LoCastro, J. , Mezinskis, J. , Simon, S. , & Tracy, K. (1999). The Brief Substance Craving Scale-measuring craving in clinical trials.  NIDA Res Monogr,  180, 304-307.

[28]. Taber, K. S. (2017b). The Use of Cronbach’s Alpha When Developing and Reporting Research Instruments in Science Education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s11165-016-9602-2

[29]. Chen, S. H. , Weng, L. J. , Su, Y. J. , Wu, H. M. , & Yang, P. F. (2003). Development of a Chinese Internet addiction scale and its psychometric study.  Chinese Journal of Psychology.

[30]. Zhai, B. , Li, D. , Li, X. , Liu, Y. , Zhang, J. , Sun, W. , & Wang, Y. (2020). Perceived school climate and problematic internet use among adolescents: Mediating roles of school belonging and depressive symptoms. Addictive Behaviors, 110, 106501. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. addbeh. 2020. 106501

[31]. Wu, C. -Y. , Lee, M. -B. , Liao, S. -C. , & Chang, L. -R. (2015). Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among Internet Users: An Online Questionnaire Survey. PLOS ONE, 10(10), e0137506. https://doi. org/10. 1371/journal. pone. 0137506

[32]. Khan, M. A. , Shabbir, F. , & Rajput, T. A. (2017). Effect of Gender and Physical Activity on Internet Addiction in Medical Students. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 33(1). https://doi. org/10. 12669/pjms. 331. 11222

References

[1]. Müller, K. W. , Glaesmer, H. , Brähler, E. , Woelfling, K. , & Beutel, M. E. (2013). Prevalence of internet addiction in the general population: results from a German population-based survey. Behaviour & Information Technology, 33(7), 757–766. https://doi. org/10. 1080/0144929x. 2013. 810778

[2]. Kuss, D. J. , van Rooij, A. J. , Shorter, G. W. , Griffiths, M. D. , & van de Mheen, D. (2013). Internet addiction in adolescents: Prevalence and risk factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), 1987–1996. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2013. 04. 002

[3]. Suhail, K. , & Bargees, Z. (2006). Effects of Excessive Internet Use on Undergraduate Students in Pakistan. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9(3), 297–307. https://doi. org/10. 1089/cpb. 2006. 9. 297

[4]. Koob, G. F. , & Volkow, N. D. (2010). Neurocircuitry of Addiction. Neuropsychopharmacology, 35(1), 217–238. https://doi. org/10. 1038/npp. 2009. 110

[5]. Chou, C. , Condron, L. , & Belland, J. C. (2005). A Review of the Research on Internet Addiction. Educational Psychology Review, 17(4), 363–388. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s10648-005-8138-1

[6]. Shaw, M. , & Black, D. W. (2008). Internet Addiction: Definition, Assessment, Epidemiology and Clinical Management. CNS Drugs, 22(5), 353–365. https://doi. org/10. 2165/00023210-200822050-00001

[7]. Yen, J. -Y. , Ko, C. -H. , Yen, C. -F. , Wu, H. -Y. , & Yang, M. -J. (2007). The Comorbid Psychiatric Symptoms of Internet Addiction: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Depression, Social Phobia, and Hostility. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41(1), 93–98. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. jadohealth. 2007. 02. 002

[8]. Ko, C. -H. . , Yen, J. -Y. . , Yen, C. -F. . , Chen, C. -S. . , & Chen, C. -C. . (2012). The association between Internet addiction and psychiatric disorder: A review of the literature. European Psychiatry, 27(1), 1–8. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. eurpsy. 2010. 04. 011

[9]. Alam, S. S. , Hazrul Nik Hashim, N. Mohd. , Ahmad, M. , Che Wel, C. A. , Nor, S. M. , & Omar, N. A. (2014). Negative and positive impact of internet addiction on young adults: Empericial study in Malaysia. Intangible Capital, 10(3). https://doi. org/10. 3926/ic. 452

[10]. Chamberlain, S. R. , Lochner, C. , Stein, D. J. , Goudriaan, A. E. , van Holst, R. J. , Zohar, J. , & Grant, J. E. (2016). Behavioural addiction—A rising tide? European Neuropsychopharmacology, 26(5), 841–855. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. euroneuro. 2015. 08. 013

[11]. Young, K. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 237–244. https://doi. org/10. 1089/cpb. 1998. 1. 237

[12]. Grant, J. E. , Brewer, J. A. , & Potenza, M. N. (2006). The Neurobiology of Substance and Behavioral Addictions. CNS Spectrums, 11(12), 924–930. https://doi. org/10. 1017/s109285290001511x

[13]. Alavi, S. S. , Masoud Ferdosi, Fereshte Jannatifard, Eslami, M. , Hamed Alaghemandan, & Mehrdad Setare. (2012). Behavioral Addiction versus Substance Addiction: Correspondence of Psychiatric and Psychological Views. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(4), 290. https://pmc. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/articles/PMC3354400/

[14]. Griffiths, M. (2005). A “components” model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework. Journal of Substance Use, 10(4), 191–197. https://doi. org/10. 1080/14659890500114359

[15]. Reilly, M. T. , Noronha, A. , Goldman, D. , & Koob, G. F. (2017). Genetic studies of alcohol dependence in the context of the addiction cycle. Neuropharmacology, 122(1), 3–21. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. neuropharm. 2017. 01. 017

[16]. Cengizhan, C. (2005). Öğrencİlerİn bİlgİsayar ve internet kullaniminda yenİ bİr boyut:“İnternet bağimliliği”.  Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi,  22(22), 83-98.

[17]. Feng, Y. , Ma, Y. , & Zhong, Q. (2019). The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Stress and Internet Addiction: A Mediated-Moderation Model. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2248). https://doi. org/10. 3389/fpsyg. 2019. 02248

[18]. Li, D. , Zhou, Y. , Li, X. , & Zhou, Z. (2016). Perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction: The mediating role of deviant peer affiliation and the moderating role of effortful control. Computers in Human Behavior, 60, 54–61. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2016. 02. 015

[19]. Zhao, F. , Zhang, Z. -H. , Bi, L. , Wu, X. -S. , Wang, W. -J. , Li, Y. -F. , & Sun, Y. -H. (2017). The association between life events and internet addiction among Chinese vocational school students: The mediating role of depression. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 30–38. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. chb. 2016. 12. 057

[20]. Wang, J. -L. , Rost, D. H. , Qiao, R. -J. , & Monk, R. (2020). Academic Stress and Smartphone Dependence among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model. Children and Youth Services Review, 105029. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. childyouth. 2020. 105029

[21]. Bear, G. G. , Gaskins, C. , Blank, J. , & Chen, F. F. (2011). Delaware School Climate Survey—Student: Its factor structure, concurrent validity, and reliability. Journal of School Psychology, 49(2), 157–174. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. jsp. 2011. 01. 001

[22]. Cohen, S. , Kamarck, T. , & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi. org/10. 2307/2136404

[23]. Watson, D. , Clark, L. A. , & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063–1070. https://doi. org/10. 1037/0022-3514. 54. 6. 1063

[24]. Szabo, M. , & Lovibond, P. F. (2022). Development and Psychometric Properties of the DASS-Youth (DASS-Y): An Extension of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) to Adolescents and Children. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(13). https://doi. org/10. 3389/fpsyg. 2022. 766890

[25]. Huebner, E. S. (1991). Initial Development of the Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale. School Psychology International, 12(3), 231–240. https://doi. org/10. 1177/0143034391123010

[26]. Koivumaa-Honkanen, H. , Kaprio, J. , Honkanen, R. , Viinamäki, H. , & Koskenvuo, M. (2004). Life satisfaction and depression in a 15-year follow-up of healthy adults. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39(12), 994–999. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s00127-004-0833-6

[27]. Somoza, E. , Baker, S. , Himmler, C. , LoCastro, J. , Mezinskis, J. , Simon, S. , & Tracy, K. (1999). The Brief Substance Craving Scale-measuring craving in clinical trials.  NIDA Res Monogr,  180, 304-307.

[28]. Taber, K. S. (2017b). The Use of Cronbach’s Alpha When Developing and Reporting Research Instruments in Science Education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi. org/10. 1007/s11165-016-9602-2

[29]. Chen, S. H. , Weng, L. J. , Su, Y. J. , Wu, H. M. , & Yang, P. F. (2003). Development of a Chinese Internet addiction scale and its psychometric study.  Chinese Journal of Psychology.

[30]. Zhai, B. , Li, D. , Li, X. , Liu, Y. , Zhang, J. , Sun, W. , & Wang, Y. (2020). Perceived school climate and problematic internet use among adolescents: Mediating roles of school belonging and depressive symptoms. Addictive Behaviors, 110, 106501. https://doi. org/10. 1016/j. addbeh. 2020. 106501

[31]. Wu, C. -Y. , Lee, M. -B. , Liao, S. -C. , & Chang, L. -R. (2015). Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among Internet Users: An Online Questionnaire Survey. PLOS ONE, 10(10), e0137506. https://doi. org/10. 1371/journal. pone. 0137506

[32]. Khan, M. A. , Shabbir, F. , & Rajput, T. A. (2017). Effect of Gender and Physical Activity on Internet Addiction in Medical Students. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 33(1). https://doi. org/10. 12669/pjms. 331. 11222

Cite this article

Liu,C. (2025). Relationships Between the Three Stages of Internet Addiction and Its Risk Factors, and the Mediating Effect of Negative Affect. Communications in Humanities Research,71,51-63.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICLLCD 2025 Symposium: Enhancing Organizational Efficiency and Efficacy through Psychology and AI

ISBN: 978-1-80590-203-4(Print) / 978-1-80590-204-1(Online)
Editor: Rick Arrowood
Conference website: https://2025.icllcd.org/Boston.html
Conference date: 12 May 2025
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.71
ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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