The unique and additive effects of callous-unemotional traits and internalizing emotion problems in adolescents' generalized problematic Internet use

Background: Generalized Problematic Internet Use (i.e., GPIU) is a multidimensional syndrome that consists of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms leading to difficulties in offline daily life. Internalizing emotion problems were found to be important predictors of GPIU; less attention was paid to the condition in which internalizing emotion problems co-occur with the callous-unemotional (i.e., CU) traits, the “secondary variant” of CU traits. Aim(s): This paper investigated the unique and additive effects of internalizing emotion problems and CU traits in adolescents’ generalized problematic Internet use (GPIU). Methods: 608 community sample adolescents (272 girls, mean age = 16.70 years, DS = 1.66 years) completed the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS2), and the Emotion Problems Scale from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: As expected, a positive association between internalizing emotional problems and GPIU emerged. Moreover, a significant interaction term between CU traits and internalizing emotion problems emerged: CU traits were associated to GPIU only in adolescents high in internalizing emotion problems. Conclusion: Results may suggest two different paths to GPIU in adolescence: through high levels of internalizing emotion problems irrespectively of CU traits, or through a co-occurrence of both high levels of CU traits and internalizing emotion problems (the secondary variant of CU traits). As a consequence, interventions have to adapt to individual differences of adolescents experiencing GPIU.