Longitudinal Study of Adverse Effects Associated with Techno-internet Addiction Disorder Tendency and Measures for Preventing a New Type of Depressive Tendency

Abstract

We hypothesized that college students with techno-internet addiction disorder tendency tend to develop a more severe, new type of depressive tendency and experience decreased quality of life (QOL). Conversely, students who exhibit higher levels of empathetic internet usage tend to encourage each other, have a higher psychological resilience, and show a preference for exercising with others, all of which suppress this new type of depressive tendency and improve QOL. Longitudinal data collected by questionnaire surveys of university students in the information sciences were analyzed by structural equation modeling, and the results appeared to support our hypothesis. In order to prevent this new type of depressive tendency in the current information society, it is essential to reduce techno-internet addiction disorder tendency and promote both exercising with partners and psychological resilience.