Individual and Environmental Predictors of Problematic Internet Use Among Young Adult Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals: A 4-Year Follow-up Study

Objectives: This 4-year follow-up study examined whether individual factors and environmental factors at baseline predict problematic internet use (PIU) four years later among young adult lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals and the mediating effect of PIU at baseline. Method: Data on PIU, demographics, sexual stigma (e.g., perceived sexual stigma from family members, internalized sexual stigma, and sexual microaggression), self-identity confusion (e.g., disturbed identity, unconsolidated identity, and lack of identity), affective symptoms (e.g., anxiety and depression), and family support were collected from 1,000 LGB individuals. The participants’ PIU was surveyed again after 4 years. The predictions of individual and environmental factors with PIU at follow-up were analyzed through mediation analysis. Results: In total, 673 (67.3%) participants completed the follow-up assessment. Higher affective symptoms and self-identity confusion directly predicted higher PIU at follow-up and indirectly through PIU at baseline. Higher sexual stigma indirectly predicted higher PIU at follow-up through PIU at baseline, whereas the direct effect was not significant. Higher family support indirectly predicted lower PIU at follow-up through PIU at baseline, whereas the direct effect was not significant. Being transgender directly predicted higher PIU at follow-up, whereas the indirect effect was not significant. Conclusions: Interventions aimed at reducing the severity of PIU among LGB individuals should be designed considering the predictors identified in our study.