Influences of Lifestyle Profiles and Problematic Internet Use on Mental Distress in University Students

Hong Kong university students suffer a high prevalence of mental distress, yet their lifestyle behaviors are not well-understood. We aimed to examine the relationship between mental distress, lifestyle behaviors, and problematic Internet use of this student population during the summer holiday and term-time. A two-cohort contrast group survey study was conducted. Students were surveyed in July during the summer holiday and September during term-time. The general health questionnaire-12, health promoting lifestyle profile II, and generalized problematic Internet use scale 2 were administered to measure mental distress, lifestyle behaviors, and problematic Internet use. 949 students (summer = 467; term-time = 482; Mage ± SD, 20.11 ± 1.54) participated in the study. Students reported statistically significant lower mental distress and higher spiritual growth during the summer holiday compared to term-time. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that spiritual growth was directly associated with reduced mental distress and problematic Internet use, and indirectly associated with reduced mental distress through a negative correlation with problematic Internet use. Problematic Internet use was positively correlated with mental distress. Physical activity was more associated with improved mental health during the summer holiday and for female students. In contrast, health management was associated with better mental health during term-time and for male students. In conclusion, spiritual growth supports mental health improvement and counters problematic Internet use in university students in general, while factors such as physical activity and health management show differential influences based on gender and time of year. Findings from this study have implications for the development of student support programs in higher education.