Jianlong Wang1,#, Xiumei Chen1,2,#, Muqi Huang3, Rui Liu3, I-Hua Chen4,5,*, Gordon L. Flett6,*
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 241-256, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2025.058503
- 03 March 2025
Abstract Background: This study addresses the pressing need to understand the nuanced relationship between ‘mattering’—the perception of being significant to others—and problematic internet use (PIU) among university students. Unlike previous research that has primarily employed variable-centered approaches, this study first adopts a person-centered approach using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify distinct mattering profiles. Subsequently, through variable-centered analyses, these profiles are examined in relation to different types of PIU—specifically problematic social media use (PSMU) and problematic gaming (PG)—as well as adaptability. Methods: Data were collected from 3587 university students across 19 universities in China. Participants completed… More >