School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia; School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
Sydney Medical School - Nepean, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Sydney/Penrith, NSW, Australia.
Psychiatry Res. 2017 Sep;255:341-346. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.06.012.
This study investigated whether several psychopathology variables, including suicidality, could predict the time people spend using the internet (hours online). Next, we examined a specific at-risk population (suicidal individuals) by their online behaviors, comparing suicidal individuals who went online for suicide-related purposes with suicidal individuals who did not go online for suicide-related purposes. An anonymous online sample of 713 (aged 18-71) reported hours online, psychiatric histories, and completed several standardized scales. After accounting for age and education, hierarchical regression modeling showed that the assessed psychopathology variables, including suicidality, did not explain significant variance in hours online. Hours online were better predicted by younger age, greater willingness to develop online relationships, higher perceived social support, higher curiosity, and lower extraversion. Suicidal participants, who did or did not go online for suicide-related purposes, did not differ on hours online. Multiple regression modeling showed that those who went online for suicide-related purposes were likely to be younger, more suicidal, and more willing to seek help from online mental health professionals. These findings revealed that hours online are not a valid indicator of psychopathology. However, studying online behaviors of specific at-risk groups could be informative and useful, including for suicide prevention efforts.
本研究旨在探讨几种精神病理学变量（包括自杀意念）是否可以预测人们上网的时间（在线时长）。接下来，我们通过在线行为来研究一个特定的高危人群（自杀个体），比较有自杀意念但上网与无自杀意念但上网的个体。我们对 713 名（年龄在 18-71 岁）匿名的在线参与者进行了在线时长、精神病史的报告，并完成了几项标准化量表的评估。在考虑年龄和教育程度后，分层回归模型显示，评估的精神病理学变量，包括自杀意念，不能解释在线时长的显著差异。在线时长更多地由年龄较小、更愿意发展在线关系、感知到的社会支持较高、好奇心较高和外向性较低来预测。有或没有上网进行自杀相关目的的自杀参与者，在线时长没有差异。多元回归模型显示，那些上网进行自杀相关目的的人更可能是年轻、更有自杀倾向、更愿意寻求在线心理健康专业人员的帮助。这些发现表明，在线时长不是精神病理学的有效指标。然而，研究特定高危人群的在线行为可能是有益的，包括对自杀预防工作。
