AUTHOR=Ding Haiyang , Cao Bing , Sun Qixuan 

TITLE=The association between problematic internet use and social anxiety within adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1275723

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1275723

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>Although numerous studies have investigated the association between problematic internet use (PIU) and social anxiety, the findings have no yet reached consistent. The present meta-analysis aims to examine the association between PIU and social anxiety within adolescents and young adults (age range: 14–24 years old).</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Method</title><p>The meta-analysis systematically retrieved the studies prior to September 7, 2023 from Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, CNKI, and CQVIP. The meta-analysis based on random-effects model to conduct the research. Stata Version 17.0 and JASP 16.3.0 was used to analysis.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>The meta-analysis ultimately included 37 studies (37 effect sizes in total), involving a total of 36,013 subjects. Our findings indicated that the overall correlation between PIU and social anxiety was significant positive [<italic>r</italic> = 0.333, 95% CI (0.292, 0.373), <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001]. Their association was significantly moderated by publication year, measurement tools for PIU and social anxiety but not significantly by culture context, developmental level and gender.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>This meta-analysis suggests that social anxiety is a predictor of the development of PIU in adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, the study also finds the possibility that contemporary adolescents and youth may exhibit a more “global” behavior pattern, potentially emphasizing fewer differences between cultures, generations and genders.</p></sec>