The Relationship between Internet Addiction and the Mental Health of North Korean Adolescent Refugees in Alternative Schools

Abstract

Objectives ： North Korean adolescent refugees have mental health difficulties and adaptation problems in South Korea due to psychological trauma. Recently, the prevalence of internet addiction, which is known to be closely related to mental health, among adolescents has increased. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the mental health of North Korean adolescent refugees and internet addiction. Methods ： The study subjects were 95 North Korean adolescent refugee alternative school students. The participants completed questionnaires on demographic variables, which considered factors related to North Korean defection and the following self-rated scales to assess depression, impulsivity, and internet addiction : The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and the Kimberly Young Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Results ： Among the North Korean adolescent refugees who participated in the study, age (t=-2.226, p=0.029), sex (t=2.964, p=0.004), and CES-D scores (t=3.788, p＜0.001) were significantly correlated with IAT scores. Conclusion : Our results showed that depression and internet addiction were highly correlated in North Korean adolescent refugees. This study will be helpful to understand North Korean adolescent refugees with internet addictions.