The longitudinal relationship between depression, Internet addiction and self-control during the repeated COVID-19 pandemics: A cross-lagged study among Chinese college students

Depression and Internet addiction are two prevalent mental health issues among college students. Although some studies have explored the relationship between depression and Internet addiction from both cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives, there has been limited research on the longitudinal mechanisms between them, especially during the repeated COVID-19 pandemics. This one-year longitudinal study aimed to explore the longitudinal relationship between depression and Internet addiction and the mechanism of self-control between them during this period, based on the I-PACE model. In October 2021 (Time 1 [T1]), 365 Chinese college students voluntarily completed anonymous questionnaires (Young’s Diagnostic Questionnaire, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Brief Self-Control Scale), and 333 of them completed the same questionnaires at follow-up survey one year later (Time 2 [T2]). At both the baseline and follow-up surveys, there was a significant positive correlation between depression and Internet addiction while self-control exhibited a significant negative correlation with both. Cross-lagged analyses showed that T1 depression positively predicted T2 Internet addiction and negatively predicted T2 self-control, but not vice versa. Mediation analyses further demonstrated a significant indirect effect of T1 depression on T2 Internet addiction through T1 self-control. These findings indicated that depression is a risk factor for Internet addiction, while self-control is a protective factor, mitigating the impact of depression on Internet addiction among college students during the repeated COVID-19 pandemics.