From comfortable to conflicted: a three-year longitudinal symptom evolution of problematic Internet use among junior high school students

The current study indicated that in the early stage of junior high school, implementing precise interventions for the symptom of "being comfortable" may help prevent the further deepening of problematic Internet use, while in the later stage of junior high school, close attention should be paid to the problem of "being conflicted" among adolescents. In addition, interventions for problematic Internet use issues do not need to take gender into account. This study provides evidence for understanding the dynamic changes in PIU among junior high school students and serve as a reference for formulating more appropriate and effective prevention and intervention measures.