Investigation of the Relationship Between Internet Addiction, Food Addiction and Impulsivity in Adolescents Presenting at the Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Internet addiction, food addiction, and impulsivity in children and adolescents aged 12-18 years who presented at the child psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Methods: This study included 207 patients aged 12-18 years who presented at the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic. All the study participants completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (YFAS-C 2.0). Results: The individuals who scored above the IAT total score cut-off point had substantially higher scores on the YFAS-C 2.0, BIS-11 total scores, and BIS-11 cognitive impulsivity and non-planning subscale than the participants who scored below the IAT total score cut-off point. According to the results of logistic regression analysis, the YFAS-C 2.0 and BIS-11 total scores were found to be related to Internet addiction. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that impulsivity and food addiction might be significant risk factors for Internet addiction.