Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2025
Predictive and dynamic development relationship between adolescents’ basic psychological need frustration and problematic internet use: A longitudinal study
Problematic internet use (PIU) is an increasing public health concern among adolescents. Understanding its development and related factors is essential for effective prevention. Although basic psychological need frustration (BPNF) has been identified as a key predictor of PIU, their reciprocal relationship remains underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the longitudinal and reciprocal associations between adolescents’ BPNF and PIU, as well as the potential sex differences, to provide empirical evidence for practical interventions. Using a cluster sampling method, a three-wave survey over 1 year was conducted among 3,061 adolescents (M age = 13.83, SD = 1.52; 50.47% girls; age range = 12–16) from two middle public schools in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected in classroom settings using the Short Version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and the Basic Psychological Need Frustration Scale. Cross-lagged panel models, parallel latent growth models, and group analysis were used to test reciprocal associations and sex differences. Results showed a reciprocal positive predictive relationship between BPNF and PIU. In addition, group analysis revealed that boys exhibited a faster increase in BPNF driven by PIU growth compared to girls. These findings suggest that the prevention of adolescent PIU should focus on both reducing BPNF and regulating internet use behaviors.
AllenJ. J.AndersonC. A. (2018). Satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs in the real world and in video games predict internet gaming disorder scores and well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 84, 220–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.034
2.
BrandM.YoungK. S.LaierC.WölflingK.PotenzaM. N. (2016). Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 71, 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033
3.
BrenerN. D.BillyJ. O.GradyW. R. (2003). Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health-risk behavior among adolescents: Evidence from the scientific literature. Journal of Adolescent Health, 33(6), 436–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(03)00052-1
4.
BuzzaiC.SorrentiL.CostaS.ToffleM. E.FilippelloP. (2021). The relationship between school-basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, academic engagement and academic achievement. School Psychology International, 42(5), 497–519. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343211017170
5.
CampbellR.BooneL.VansteenkisteM.SoenensB. (2018). Psychological need frustration as a transdiagnostic process in associations of self-critical perfectionism with depressive symptoms and eating pathology. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74(10), 1775–1790. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22628
6.
CaoH.SunY.WanY.HaoJ.TaoF. (2011). Problematic Internet use in Chinese adolescents and its relation to psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. BMC Public Health, 11, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-802
7.
CasalóL. V.EscarioJ.-J. (2019). Predictors of excessive internet use among adolescents in Spain: The relevance of the relationship between parents and their children. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 344–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.11.042
8.
CernigliaL.ZorattoF.CiminoS.LaviolaG.AmmanitiM.AdrianiW. (2017). Internet addiction in adolescence: Neurobiological, psychosocial and clinical issues. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 76, 174–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.024
9.
ChenB.VansteenkisteM.BeyersW.BooneL.DeciE. L.Van der Kaap-DeederJ.DuriezB.LensW.MatosL.MouratidisA.RyanR. M.SheldonK. M.SoenensB.Van PetegemS.VerstuyfJ. (2015). Basic psychological need satisfaction, need frustration, and need strength across four cultures. Motivation and Emotion, 39(2), 216–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9450-1
10.
ChenJ.LiangY.MaiC.ZhongX.QuC. (2016). General deficit in inhibitory control of excessive smartphone users: Evidence from an event-related potential study. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 511. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00511
11.
CheungG. W.RensvoldR. B. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9(2), 233–255. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_5
12.
DeanerR. O.DunlapL. C.Bleske-RechekA. (2022). Sex differences in competitiveness in massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). Evolutionary Psychology, 20(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049221109388
13.
DeciE. L.RyanR. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01
14.
DeciE. L.RyanR. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology-Psychologie Canadienne, 49(3), 182–185. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012801
15.
DemetrovicsZ.SzerediB.RózsaS. (2008). The three-factor model of Internet addiction: The development of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 563–574. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.2.563
16.
EarlS. R.MeijenC.TaylorI. M.PassfieldL. (2021). Developing young adolescents’ psychological need satisfaction: A feasibility study of a pupil-focused intervention in secondary schools. Educational Studies, 47(5), 591–608. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2020.1719386
FumeroA.MarreroR. J.VoltesD.PeñateW. (2018). Personal and social factors involved in internet addiction among adolescents: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 86, 387–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.005
19.
GaoS.MokhtarianP. L.JohnstonR. A. (2008). Exploring the connections among job accessibility, employment, income, and auto ownership using structural equation modeling. The Annals of Regional Science, 42, 341–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-007-0154-2
20.
GugliandoloM.CostaS.KussD.CuzzocreaF.VerrastroV. (2020). Technological addiction in adolescents: The interplay between parenting and psychological basic needs. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 18(5), 1389–1402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-00156-4
21.
HeisselA.PietrekA.KangasM.Van der Kaap-DeederJ.RappM. A. (2023). The mediating role of rumination in the relation between basic psychological need frustration and depressive symptoms. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(2), 395–405. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12020395
22.
HongW.LiuR.-D.DingY.ZhenR.JiangR.FuX. (2020). Autonomy need dissatisfaction in daily life and problematic mobile phone use: The mediating roles of boredom proneness and mobile phone gaming. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5305. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155305
23.
HuangS.HuY.NiQ.QinY.LüW. (2021). Parent-children relationship and internet addiction of adolescents: The mediating role of self-concept. Current Psychology, 40, 2510–2517. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00199-9
24.
IskenderM.AkinA. (2010). Social self-efficacy, academic locus of control, and internet addiction. Computers & Education, 54(4), 1101–1106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.10.014
25.
KawabeK.HoriuchiF.OchiM.OkaY.UenoS.-i. (2016). Internet addiction: Prevalence and relation with mental states in adolescents. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 70(9), 405–412. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12402
26.
KoronczaiB.KökönyeiG.UrbánR.KirályO.NagygyörgyK.FelvincziK.GriffithsM. D.HuangZ.DemetrovicsZ. (2017). Confirmation of the Chinese version of the problematic internet use questionnaire short form (PIUQ-SF). International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 15, 191–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-016-9664-4
27.
LittleR. J. (1988). A test of missing completely at random for multivariate data with missing values. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 83(404), 1198–1202. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1988.10478722
28.
LiuX.ZengJ.ZhangY.YiZ.ChenS.LiuY. (2024). The relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating role of psychological suzhi. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33, 2527–2539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02775-x
29.
MarinM. G.NuñezX.de AlmeidaR. M. M. (2021). Internet addiction and attention in adolescents: A systematic review. Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking, 24(4), 237–249. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0698
30.
MulderJ. D.HamakerE. L. (2021). Three extensions of the random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 28(4), 638–648. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2020.1784738
31.
MuravenM.BaumeisterR. F. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle?Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 247–259. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.247
32.
OluwafemiO. O.BibireA. H.MebuV. A.DungP. H.AderibigbeJ. K. (2020). Conditional indirect effects of gender and school on internet use for academic activities and social-moral development among secondary school students in Nigeria. Cogent Social Sciences, 6(1), 1748478. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2020.1748478
33.
PanP.-Y.YehC.-B. (2018). Internet addiction among adolescents may predict self-harm/suicidal behavior: A prospective study. Journal of Pediatrics, 197, 262–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.01.046
RemediosJ. C.GunnellK. E.PaynterM. B.TabriN. (2023). Examining the role of psychological needs and passion in problem video gaming. Addiction Research & Theory, 32, 353–365. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2023.2282524
36.
Rodríguez-MeirinhosA.Antolín-SuárezL.BrenningK.VansteenkisteM.OlivaA. (2020). A bright and a dark path to adolescents’ functioning: The role of need satisfaction and need frustration across gender, age, and socioeconomic status. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21, 95–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-00072-9
37.
RokoszM.PoprawaR.BarańskiM.MacyszynP. (2023). Basic psychological need frustration and the risk of problematic internet use: The mediating role of hedonistic and compensatory outcome expectancies. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction/Alkoholizm i Narkomania, 36(4), 235–256. https://doi.org/10.5114/ain.2023.139618
38.
RyanR. M.DeciE. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806
39.
SarıalioğluA.AtayT.ArıkanD. (2022). Determining the relationship between loneliness and internet addiction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 63, 117–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.11.011
40.
SoenensB.VansteenkisteM. (2010). A theoretical upgrade of the concept of parental psychological control: Proposing new insights on the basis of self-determination theory. Developmental Review, 30(1), 74–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2009.11.001
41.
StavropoulosV.AlexandrakiK.Motti-StefanidiF. (2013). Recognizing internet addiction: Prevalence and relationship to academic achievement in adolescents enrolled in urban and rural Greek high schools. Journal of Adolescence, 36(3), 565–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.03.008
TulubasT.KarakoseT.PapadakisS. (2023). A holistic investigation of the relationship between digital addiction and academic achievement among students. European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 13(10), 2006–2034. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13100143
45.
VansteenkisteM.RyanR. M.SoenensB. (2020). Basic psychological need theory: Advancements, critical themes, and future directions. Motivation and Emotion, 44(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09818-1
46.
Vigna-TagliantiF.BrambillaR.PriottoB.AngelinoR.CuomoG.DiecidueR. (2017). Problematic Internet use among high school students: Prevalence, associated factors and gender differences. Psychiatry Research, 257, 163–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.07.039
47.
WangJ.ChenJ.WangP.ZhangS.LiQ.LuS.XiaoJ. (2024). Identifying internet addiction profiles among adolescents using latent profile analysis: Relations to aggression, depression, and anxiety. Journal of Affective Disorders, 359, 78–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.082
48.
XiaoB.BullockA.LiuJ.CoplanR. (2021). Unsociability, peer rejection, and loneliness in Chinese early adolescents: Testing a cross-lagged model. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 41(6), 865–885. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431620961457
49.
XuL.-x.WuL.-l.GengX.-m.WangZ.-l.GuoX.-y.SongK.-r.LiuG.-q.DengL.-y.ZhangJ.-t.PotenzaM. N. (2021). A review of psychological interventions for internet addiction. Psychiatry Research, 302, 114016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114016
50.
YaoX.WuJ.GuoZ.YangY.ZhangM.ZhaoY.KouY. (2022). Parental psychological control and adolescents’ problematic mobile phone use: The serial mediation of basic psychological need experiences and negative affect. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31, 2039–2049. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02169-x
51.
YoungK. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 1(3), 237–244. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237
52.
ZhangM. X.KamC. C. S.WuA. M. (2024). The reciprocity between psychological need frustration and adolescent problematic smartphone use. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 91, 101634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101634
53.
ZhangY.LiJ.ZhangM.AiB.JiaF. (2024). Bidirectional associations between loneliness and problematic internet use: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies. Addictive Behaviors, 150, 107916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107916
