title: Prevalence and risk factors of problematic Internet use: a cross-national comparison of Japanese and Chinese university students.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare risk factors for problematic Internet use (PIU) among Japanese and Chinese university students. A sample of 267 Japanese and 236 Chinese first year university students responded to questionnaires on the severity of PIU, depression, self-image/image of others, and perceived parental child-rearing styles. The results indicated that Japanese participants were more likely to demonstrate PIU than their Chinese counterparts. Compared to Chinese students, Japanese students reported more negative self-image, lower parental care, greater overcontrol, and higher depression scores. The PIU group had a higher depression score compared to the normal Internet use group. Compared with the non-PIU group, the PIU group consisted of more male and Japanese participants. Further, they tended to have more negative self-images, saw their mothers to be less caring, and perceived their mothers and fathers as more overcontrolling. PIU is strongly associated with depression, negative self-image, and parental relations. Finally, mediation analysis revealed that such national differences in PIU between Japanese and Chinese were clarified in depression and perceived mother's care. This cross-national study indicated that depression and perceived mother's care were both significant risk factors that were associated with the national difference in PIU between Japanese and Chinese participants.
authors: Saga University, Japan.
authors: Chun Yan
authors: CY
authors: Yang
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Sato
authors: Niwako
authors: N
authors: Yamawaki
authors: Masakazu
authors: M
authors: Miyata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chinese; Japanese; depression; perceived parental styles; problematic Internet use; relationship