Prevalence of internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: A comprehensive meta-analysis of 164 epidemiological studies

Background: Internet Addiction (IA) among Chinese adolescents is a growing concern that is associated with considerable psychological, social, and academic problems. Although numerous past studies on IA prevalence in China have been conducted, the findings have been mixed. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the pooled IA prevalence among adolescents in China and its associated factors. Methods: Both English (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO) and Chinese (Wan Fang, CNKI) databases were systematically searched. Pooled prevalence and study heterogeneity were analyzed using the random effects model, while the factors contributing to prevalence variation were identified using subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Results: A total of 164 studies involving 737,384 adolescents were included in the meta-analysis. The overall pooled IA prevalence was 10.3 % (95 % CI: 9.1 %-11.7 %). In the subgroup analyses, differences in IA prevalence were significantly associated with the assessment tools (Q = 32.8, p < 0.001) and publication years (Q = 20.6, p < 0.001). In the meta-regression analyses, rural residence (beta = 1.82, p = 0.030) and junior student level (beta = 0.26, p = 0.002) were positively associated with the prevalence of IA, while only child status (beta = -1.28, p = 0.033) was negatively associated with the prevalence of IA. Conclusion: In this meta-analysis, IA among adolescents in China was common and associated with rural residence, junior student level, and only-child status. Given the detrimental impacts of IA, the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies for this population is critical.