AUTHOR=Wang Peng , Wang Jun , Yan Yun , Si Yingdong , Zhan Xiangping , Tian Yu 

TITLE=Relationship Between Loneliness and Depression Among Chinese Junior High School Students: The Serial Mediating Roles of Internet Gaming Disorder, Social Network Use, and Generalized Pathological Internet Use

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.529665

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2020.529665

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>This study aimed to explore the mediating effects of internet gaming disorder, social network use, and generalized pathological internet use (GPIU) on the association between loneliness and depression. A total of 2211 junior high school students completed questionnaires regarding loneliness, internet gaming disorder, social network use, GPIU, and depression (aged 10–16 years). The results of a structural equation model revealed that (a) the path coefficient of loneliness to depression was significantly positive, (b) loneliness could not predict depression through GPIU directly, but (c) loneliness could predict depression through internet gaming disorder to GPIU, (d) loneliness could predict depression through social network use to GPIU, and (e) loneliness could not predict depression through internet gaming disorder to social network use to GPIU. These results provided significant implications for the prevention and reduction of depression in Chinese junior high school students.</p>