Lardinoix Julia, Neumann Ina, Wartberg Lutz, Lindenberg Katajun
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60486 Frankfurt, Germany.
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.
Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Apr 29;11(9):1274. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11091274.
Use of Internet applications is often associated with postponing real-life obligations. Previous cross-sectional studies have reported a positive association between procrastination and Internet use disorders (IUDs). Further, procrastination is included in theoretical models explaining the development of IUDs. However, little is known about the temporal relationship; thus, longitudinal studies identifying the specific predictive direction are required.
Using a cross-lagged panel design, a total of 240 students who were at high risk for IUDs, aged between 12 and 18 years ( = 15.17, = 1.66) were assessed at baseline (t1) and reassessed one year later (t2) with standardized measures for IUDs and procrastination.
Our results showed that IUD symptom severity at t2 was significantly predicted both by IUD symptom severity at t1 and procrastination at t1. However, procrastination at t2 was predicted only by procrastination at t1 but not by IUD symptom severity at t1.
We could not find a reciprocal relationship between procrastination and IUD symptom severity. Procrastination appears to be a causal risk factor for IUDs, but not a consequence. As a modifiable risk factor, procrastination is a promising starting point for preventive and therapeutic interventions for IUDs.
使用互联网应用程序往往与推迟现实生活中的义务相关。以往的横断面研究报告了拖延与互联网使用障碍（IUDs）之间存在正相关。此外，拖延被纳入了解释IUDs发展的理论模型。然而，对于时间关系知之甚少；因此，需要进行纵向研究以确定具体的预测方向。
采用交叉滞后面板设计，对240名有IUDs高风险的学生进行评估，这些学生年龄在12至18岁之间（平均年龄=15.17，标准差=1.66），在基线时（t1）进行评估，并在一年后（t2）用IUDs和拖延的标准化测量方法进行重新评估。
我们的结果表明，t2时的IUD症状严重程度由t1时的IUD症状严重程度和t1时的拖延显著预测。然而，t2时的拖延仅由t1时的拖延预测，而不由t1时的IUD症状严重程度预测。
我们未发现拖延与IUD症状严重程度之间存在相互关系。拖延似乎是IUDs的一个因果风险因素，而非结果。作为一个可改变的风险因素，拖延是IUDs预防和治疗干预的一个有前景的起点。
