Longitudinal associations among relative deprivation, maladaptive cognition, and internet addiction: A four-wave study

We investigated the longitudinal associations among relative deprivation, maladaptive cognition, and internet addiction in Chinese university students. We gave 912 university students assessments at four time points (every 6 months) over the first 2 years of their enrollment at college. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed the presence of positive correlations among relative deprivation, maladaptive cognition, and internet addiction. Moreover, these associations were dynamic and bidirectional across the four time points. Furthermore, maladaptive cognition played a bidirectional mediating role in the association between relative deprivation and internet addiction across the time points. Relative deprivation and internet addiction appeared to generate a positive feedback loop, which formed a vicious cycle. The exaggeration of the advantages of using the internet may lead to internet addiction, while an exaggeration of one’s supposedly disadvantaged circumstances may lead to increased relative deprivation.