Association of stress coping strategies with Internet addiction in college students: The moderating effect of depression.
BACKGROUND
This study examined the association between stress-related coping strategies and Internet addiction and the moderating effect of depression in a sample of Taiwanese college students.


METHODS
A total of 500 college students (238 men and 262 women) participated in this study. Internet addiction was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. Participants' stress coping strategies and depressive symptoms were measured using the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, respectively. We used t and chi-square tests to examine differences in demographic characteristics, depression, and stress coping strategies between participants with and without Internet addiction. Significant variables were used in a logistic regression model to examine the association between stress coping strategies and Internet addiction and the moderating effect of depression on the association.


RESULTS
Results indicated that use of restraint coping was negatively associated with Internet addiction (odds ratio [OR]=0.886, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.802-0.977), whereas denial (OR=1.177, 95% CI: 1.029-1.346) and mental disengagement (OR=2.673, 95% CI: 1.499-4.767) were positively associated with Internet addiction. Depression had a moderating effect on the association between denial and Internet addiction (OR=0.701, 95% CI: 0.530-0.927).


CONCLUSIONS
Stress coping strategies and depression are important factors to evaluate when developing intervention programs targeting college undergraduate students with Internet addiction.
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Wei-Po
WP
Chou
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chih-Hung
CH
Ko
Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Erin A
EA
Kaufman
Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Sheila E
SE
Crowell
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA.
Ray C
RC
Hsiao
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Peng-Wei
PW
Wang
Department of Psychiatry, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Chi-Mei Hospital, Liuying Campus, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: jinjialin5483@gmail.com.
Jin-Jia
JJ
Lin
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: chfaye@kmu.edu.tw.
Cheng-Fang
CF
Yen
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult