The relationship between attention deficits, impulsivity and emotion regulation deficits with problematic internet use: The mediating role of loneliness

Background. Problematic internet use is one of the emerging issues in modern societies, and psychological factors play a prominent role in its etiology. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between attention deficit, impulsivity, and emotional regulation deficits with problematic internet use due to the feeling of loneliness. Methods. The multi-stage cluster method was adopted to select 450 students from the middle schools in Tabriz in the 2022-2023 academic year. Subjects were assessed by the questionnaires of Achenbach's behavioral signs, Barth's impulsivity, Gratz's and Roemer's emotion regulation deficits, Russell's feeling of loneliness and the problematic Internet use by Lopez-Fernandez et al. Results. The data analysis using structural equation modeling showed that the effects of attention deficit, impulsivity, and emotional regulation deficits on the problematic internet use were mediated by the feeling of loneliness. In addition, the findings revealed that attention deficit, impulsivity, emotion regulation deficit, and loneliness had a positive significant relationship with problematic internet use (P<0.05). The effects of attention deficit, impulsivity, and emotion regulation deficit on loneliness were also significant (P<0.05). Conclusion. In sum, the attention deficit, impulsivity, and emotional regulation deficits may have predicted the problematic internet use caused by feeling of loneliness. Practical Implications. These findings may have had practical implications for clinical settings, which were discussed in detail.