A number of factors have been demonstrated to be associated with Problematic Internet Use (PIU); otherwise known as Internet Addiction), which is mostly concerned with psychological problems such as loneliness. This study aimed to examine how and in what way loneliness influenced PIU. A self-report measurement on loneliness, the Internet addiction test (IAT) and instruments on interpersonal problems were administered to 318 medical students (57% females); mean age totaled 20.88 years (SD = 1.8). We performed a mediation analysis to evaluate direct effects of loneliness on IAT, as well as indirect effects mediated by interpersonal problems. In addition, motivation for internet use was added to the mediation model and tested whether it acted as the second mediator (serial mediation model) or a moderator (moderated mediation model). After controlling for sex and age, socially inhibited problems exhibited full mediation whereas the remainder showed partial mediation effects, with the exception that intrusive and cold interpersonal problems indicated no mediating role. Negative motivation and motivation for being accepted had mediation effects for all types of interpersonal problems. Motivation for working was found to be a significant mediator and moderator of the most interpersonal problems. Intrusive and cold styles became a mediator only when some motivation variables were added to the model, implying that not only psychological problems should be included when analyzing PIU, but also other variables such motivation for internet use. The percent of variance explained, by IAT score, increased from 13% in the mediation model to 33% by the moderated mediation model, and 43% using the serial mediation model. The study suggested the crucial role of loneliness and interpersonal problems on PIU, for which motivation for internet use explained how each interpersonal problem would be associated. This may provide some insight regarding the pathological characteristics of those using the internet as a coping strategy.

中文翻译：

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孤独和有问题的互联网使用：测试人际关系问题和互联网使用动机的作用

许多因素已被证明与有问题的互联网使用 (PIU) 相关；也称为网络成瘾），主要与孤独等心理问题有关。本研究旨在研究孤独感如何以及以何种方式影响 PIU。对 318 名医学生（57% 女性）进行了孤独感、网络成瘾测试 (IAT) 和人际关系问题的自我报告测量；平均年龄总计 20.88 岁（SD = 1.8）。我们进行了中介分析，以评估孤独对 IAT 的直接影响，以及由人际关系问题介导的间接影响。此外，互联网使用动机被添加到中介模型中，并测试它是作为第二中介（串行中介模型）还是主持人（有调节中介模型）。在控制了性别和年龄后，社会抑制问题表现出完全中介作用，而其余问题则表现出部分中介作用，但侵入性和冷漠的人际关系问题表明没有中介作用。消极动机和被接受动机对各类人际关系问题都有中介作用。工作动机被发现是大多数人际关系问题的重要中介和调节因素。只有在模型中加入一些动机变量时，侵入性和冷酷风格才成为中介，这意味着在分析 PIU 时不仅应包括心理问题，还应包括其他变量，如互联网使用动机。通过 IAT 分数解释的方差百分比从中介模型中的 13% 增加到调节中介模型中的 33%，43% 使用串行中介模型。该研究表明孤独和人际关系问题对 PIU 的关键作用，为此，互联网使用的动机解释了每个人际关系问题是如何关联的。这可能会提供一些关于使用互联网作为应对策略的人的病理特征的见解。