Abstract
The growing prevalence of Internet use has made Internet addiction a prominent factor linked to college students’ mental health problems, particularly in relation to depressive symptoms. This study surveyed 836 college students from multiple universities in China, using validated instruments to measure Internet addiction, depressive symptoms, resilience, and hope. A chain mediation model was tested to explore how resilience and hope jointly mediate the connection between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms. Findings demonstrated a positive correlation between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, and a negative correlation between Internet addiction and both resilience and hope. Resilience acted as a partial mediator in the connection between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms, and resilience and hope together formed a significant chain mediation pathway. Gender differences were observed: male students reported higher depressive symptoms, while female students exhibited greater hope. These findings extend the I-PACE model by illustrating how addictive behaviors impair emotional and cognitive systems, increasing depressive risks. Interventions that enhance resilience and foster hope may provide dual protection against depression among college students.