Internet addiction and life satisfaction among Indian students
A mediation analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24242713 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nagesh Rajopadhye (Parivartan Trust), Aarathi Ajayakumar (0009-0001-4015-3541, Parivartan Trust), Angela Langat (University of Nairobi), Hamid Dabholkar (Parivartan Trust), Swapna Pawar (Parivartan Trust), Nitai Roy (0000-0002-8454-6128, Patuakhali Science and Technology University), Manasi Kumar (0000-0002-9773-8014, New York University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2054-4251 • E-ISSN: 2054-4251 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/gmh.2026.10336 |
| OpenAlex | W7224769462 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
Evidence on the relationship between internet addiction (IA) and life satisfaction (LS) among university students remains limited, and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This study examined whether depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between IA and LS among 1,320 Indian university students (958 males, 362 females). Participants completed the Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (IAT-12), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Data were analyzed using SPSS v27 and PROCESS Macro.Clinically significant depression and anxiety were reported by 19.1% and 19.0% of participants, respectively, while 22.6% reported low life satisfaction. IA was positively associated with depression and anxiety and negatively associated with LS. Both depression and anxiety significantly mediated the IA-LS relationship, with depression exerting a stronger effect. Parallel mediation analyses confirmed independent effects of both mediators, while serial mediation analyses identified sequential pathways linking IA, depression, anxiety, and LS.Psychological distress accounted for a substantial proportion of the association between problematic internet use and lower life satisfaction. Findings highlight the importance of integrated university mental health strategies that promote digital well-being, facilitate early identification of psychological distress, and provide accessible psychosocial support.
Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology · Student Stress and Coping
Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of internet addiction
Internet Addiction Prevalence and Quality of (Real) Life
Internet addiction and sleep problems
Problematic smartphone use
A systematic review of studies of depression prevalence in university students
A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders
The PHQ-9
The Satisfaction With Life Scale
Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents
Prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety symptoms among college students
Internet Addiction
Validation and psychometric properties of a short version of Young’s Internet Addiction Test
Education in times of Covid-19 pandemic
A systematic review
Life satisfaction
| Highly cited | No |
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