Global prevalence of internet addiction among university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The prevalence of internet addiction among university students has been extensively studied worldwide, however, the findings have been mixed. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the global prevalence of internet addiction in university students and identify its potential moderators. RECENT FINDINGS: A total of 101 eligible studies, comprising 128020 participants across 38 countries and territories, were included. The pooled global prevalence of internet addiction among university students was 41.84% [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 35.89-48.02]. Significant differences in the prevalence were observed across different income levels, regions, periods of COVID-19 pandemic, and cut-off values of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Sample size was negatively associated with internet addiction prevalence, while depression prevalence was positively associated with internet addiction…