Depression and excessive internet use: The mediating roles of anxiety and intellectual difficulties

The Internet has become an integral part of modern life, providing easy access to resources that fulfill various human needs. This study examines the factors influencing Excessive Internet Use (EIU) among adolescents, with a focus on mental health, intellectual difficulties and sociodemographic factors, to better understand risk factors and inform targeted interventions. A total of 155,166 adolescents aged 13–17 years participated in this questionnaire-based study, utilizing national survey data. The findings reveal a social gradient in EIU, with disadvantaged groups—such as girls, sexual minorities, and those from lower/middle socioeconomic statuses—showing a higher tendency towards EIU compared to advantaged groups, including boys, heterosexuals, and individuals from higher SES backgrounds. Regression analysis identified intellectual difficulties and anxiety disorders as the strongest predictors of EIU. Mediation analysis underscore the mediating roles of anxiety and intellectual difficulties in the relationship between depressive symptoms and EIU. The moderation analysis indicated that the relationship between depressive symptoms and EIU was weaker among disadvantaged adolescents. The findings suggest that interventions addressing EIU should be tailored to the specific needs of disadvantaged groups, particularly girls, sexual minorities, and those from lower-SES backgrounds, who are at higher risk. Additionally, the attenuated impact of depressive symptoms on EIU in these groups indicates that anxiety disorders and intellectual difficulties may play a more critical role in driving EIU, highlighting the importance of comprehensive mental health strategies that extend beyond treating depression alone. • Girls exhibited a higher propensity for both low-risk and high-risk EIU than boys. • The direct conditional effect of depressive symptoms on EIU appears to be attenuated in the disadvantaged groups. • Intellectual difficulties and anxiety were the strongest predictors of EIU. • Anxiety and intellectual difficulties partially mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and EIU.