Internet Addiction Symptoms Research Articles

Znaczenie Internetu w życiu młodzieży ze szkół powiatu przemyskiego (analiza na podstawie wyników z sondażowego badania ankietowego)

Virtual reality generated by the Internet provides opportunities for completion of both positive and negative objectives that have impact upon the development of personality of the youth. The article related to these issues presents the findings of the questionnaire survey of 155 students from the selected elementary, junior high and high schools in the Przemyśl poviat., The survey addresses the issues pertaining to activities on the Internet and its utilization for studying, ways of using the Web services and resources and risks related to their use. The findings of the pilot questionnaire provided a basis for making the views on the presented problems more precise. Practical guidelines pertaining to IT-related subjects in schools, use of the Internet for generation of active and creative attitudes among students have been articulated. Attention was also drawn to development of responsibility for actions in the Internet and preventive enhancement of students’ awareness of the symptoms of Internet addiction.

Tingkat Kecanduan Internet pada Remaja Awal

This study shows that there are students who have an Internet addiction. Addictions possessed by students will certainly have a negative impact on self, social relationships and learning outcomes. This study aims to describe: 1) The level of Internet addiction in general 2) The core symptoms of Internet addiction in early adolescents 3) Problems related to Internet addiction in early adolescence. Quantitative research method with the quantitative descriptive approach. The population of this study is 596 students of SMA N 7 Padang and a sample of 240 students selected by proportional random sampling technique. The results revealed: 1) The rate of internet addiction in early adolescence is generally mostly in the moderate category with a percentage of 50%, 2) The core symptoms of Internet addiction in early adolescence are mostly in the high category with a percentage of 43%, consisting of indicators of compulsive symptoms, withdrawal symptoms and tolerance symptoms. 3) Internet-related addiction problems in early adolescence were mostly in the moderate category with a 49% percentage consisting of two interpersonal indicators & health problems and time management problems.

Comorbidity of Internet use disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Two adult case-control studies.

ObjectivesThere is good scientific evidence that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is both a predictor and a comorbidity of addictive disorders in adulthood. These associations not only focus on substance-related addictions but also on behavioral addictions like gambling disorder and Internet use disorder (IUD). For IUD, systematic reviews have identified ADHD as one of the most prevalent comorbidities besides depressive and anxiety disorders. Yet, there is a need to further understand the connections between both disorders to derive implications for specific treatment and prevention. This is especially the case in adult clinical populations where little is known about these relations so far. This study was meant to further investigate this issue in more detail based on the general hypothesis that there is a decisive intersection of psychopathology and etiology between IUD and ADHD.MethodsTwo case–control samples were examined at a university hospital. Adult ADHD and IUD patients ran through a comprehensive clinical and psychometrical workup.ResultsWe found support for the hypothesis that ADHD and IUD share psychopathological features. Among patients of each group, we found substantial prevalence rates of a comorbid ADHD in IUD and vice versa. Furthermore, ADHD symptoms were positively associated with media use times and symptoms of Internet addiction in both samples.DiscussionClinical practitioners should be aware of the close relationships between the two disorders both diagnostically and therapeutically. When it comes to regain control over one’s Internet use throughout treatment and rehabilitation, a potential shift of addiction must be kept in mind on side of practitioners and patients.

Effects of Group Counseling Programs, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Sports Intervention on Internet Addiction in East Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To evaluate the effects of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and sports intervention on Internet addiction (IA), a systematic search in ten databases was performed to identify eligible studies without language restrictions up to January 2017. A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was performed, respectively. A total of 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which included 2871 participants, were incorporated into our meta-analysis. The results showed that group counseling programs, CBT, and sports intervention could significantly reduce IA levels (group counseling program: standardized mean difference (SMD), −1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), −1.89 to −0.85; CBT: SMD, −1.88; 95% CI, −2.53 to −1.23; sports intervention: SMD, −1.70; 95% CI, −2.14 to −1.26). For group counseling programs, this treatment was more effective in four dimensions of IA, including time management, interpersonal and health issues, tolerance, and compulsive Internet use. For CBT, this treatment yielded a positive change in depression, anxiousness, aggressiveness, somatization, social insecurity, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. For sports intervention, the significant effects were also observed in all dimensions of the IA scale. Each of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sports intervention had a significant effect on IA and psychopathological symptoms. Sports intervention could improve withdrawal symptoms especially.

Merging Theoretical Models and Therapy Approaches in the Context of Internet Gaming Disorder: A Personal Perspective.

Although, it is not yet officially recognized as a clinical entity which is diagnosable, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been included in section III for further study in the DSM-5 by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013). This is important because there is increasing evidence that people of all ages, in particular teens and young adults, are facing very real and sometimes very severe consequences in daily life resulting from an addictive use of online games. This article summarizes general aspects of IGD including diagnostic criteria and arguments for the classification as an addictive disorder including evidence from neurobiological studies. Based on previous theoretical considerations and empirical findings, this paper examines the use of one recently proposed model, the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, for inspiring future research and for developing new treatment protocols for IGD. The I-PACE model is a theoretical framework that explains symptoms of Internet addiction by looking at interactions between predisposing factors, moderators, and mediators in combination with reduced executive functioning and diminished decision making. Finally, the paper discusses how current treatment protocols focusing on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Internet addiction (CBT-IA) fit with the processes hypothesized in the I-PACE model.

Relationship between borderline personality symptoms and Internet addiction: The mediating effects of mental health problems.

AimTo examine the relationship between borderline personality symptoms and Internet addiction as well as the mediating role of mental health problems between them.MethodsA total of 500 college students from Taiwan were recruited and assessed for symptoms of Internet addiction using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale, borderline personality symptoms using the Taiwanese version of the Borderline Symptom List and mental health problems using four subscales from the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Scale (interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test our hypothesis that borderline personality symptoms are associated with the severity of Internet addiction directly and also through the mediation of mental health problems.ResultsSEM analysis revealed that all paths in the hypothesized model were significant, indicating that borderline personality symptoms were directly related to the severity of Internet addiction as well as indirectly related to the severity of Internet addiction by increasing the severity of mental health problems.ConclusionBorderline personality symptoms and mental health problems should be taken into consideration when designing intervention programs for Internet addiction.

Association between childhood and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in Korean young adults with Internet addiction.

Background and aimsAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric comorbidities of Internet addiction (IA); however, the possible mechanisms that contribute to this high comorbidity are still under debate. This study aims to analyze these possible mechanisms by comparing the effect of IA severity and childhood ADHD on inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in young adults with IA. We hypothesized that IA might have associations with ADHD-like cognitive and behavior symptoms aside from childhood ADHD.MethodsStudy participants consisted of 61 young male adults. Participants were administered a structured interview. The severity of IA, childhood and current ADHD symptoms, and psychiatry comorbid symptoms were assessed through self-rating scales. The associations between the severity of IA and ADHD symptoms were examined through hierarchical regression analyses.ResultsHierarchical regression analyses showed that the severity of IA significantly predicted most dimensions of ADHD symptoms. By contrast, childhood ADHD predicted only one dimension.DiscussionThe high comorbidity of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms in IA should not solely be accounted by an independent ADHD disorder but should consider the possibility of cognitive symptoms related to IA. Functional and structural brain abnormalities associated with excessive and pathologic Internet usage might be related to these ADHD-like symptoms.ConclusionInattention and hyperactivity in young adults with IA are more significantly associated with the severity of IA than that of childhood ADHD.

Differences in the relationship between traumatic experiences, self-esteem, negative cognition, and Internet addiction symptoms among North Korean adolescent defectors and South Korean adolescents: A preliminary study

North Korean adolescent defectors experience adaptation difficulties along with a wide range of psychosocial problems, but no study has yet examined their Internet addiction symptoms. We compared early traumatic experiences, self-esteem, negative cognition, and Internet addiction symptoms, as well as the relationships between these variables, between North Korean adolescent defectors and South Korean adolescents. Fifty-six North Korean adolescent defectors and 112 age- and sex- matched South Korean adolescents participated. The analyses examined the relationship between traumatic experiences and Internet addiction symptoms, with negative automatic thoughts or low self-esteem as mediators of these relations. North Korean adolescent defectors tended to have higher levels of negative automatic thoughts and more severe Internet addiction symptoms, as well as better self-esteem, than did South Korean adolescents. Furthermore, only among North Korean adolescent defectors, traumatic experiences were positively associated with Internet addition symptoms via increasing negative automatic thoughts. North Korean adolescent defectors are more susceptible to Internet addiction, negative cognitions, and early traumatic experiences compared to South Korean adolescents. However, the cross-sectional design of this study precludes consideration of the causality of these relationships. Interventions aiming to correct negative cognitions and increase self-esteem may be helpful for North Korean adolescent defectors with problematic Internet use.

Alcohol consumption and the risk of Internet addiction in teenagers aged 13-17 years living in the urban and rural areas

Abstract The aim of this paper was to determine differences and similarities between city dwelling teenagers aged 13–17 years who consumed/did not consume alcohol and their rural counterparts in regard to the severity of Internet addiction symptoms. Participants and methods: The examined group consisted of 1,191 people (890 girls and 301 boys) aged 13–17 years. The following instruments were used in the study: a sociodemographic questionnaire designed by the present authors, the Internet Addiction Questionnaire designed by Potembska, and the Internet Addiction Questionnaire (KBUI) designed by Pawłowska and Potembska. Results: The results show that adolescents who consume alcohol, both those living in urban and rural areas, are characterized by statistically significantly more severe Internet addiction symptoms measured by KBUI as compared to their non-drinking peers. Conclusions: Adolescents who consume alcohol, both urban and rural residents, are characterised by statistically significantly more severe symptoms of Internet addiction compared to their peers who do not consume alcohol. Adolescents who live in a city and who consume alcohol are significantly more likely to use Internet pornography than their non-drinking peers. Adolescents who live in urban areas are significantly more likely to use Internet pornography, play violent computer games and search for acceptance and understanding only in online interactions as compared to adolescents who do not consume alcohol. Underage city-dwellers who consume alcohol are significantly more likely to use electronic mail, instant messaging and web pages compared to their rural peers.

Attachment Style and Internet Addiction: An Online Survey.

BackgroundOne of the clinically relevant problems of Internet use is the phenomenon of Internet addiction. Considering the fact that there is ample evidence for the relationship between attachment style and substance abuse, it stands to reason that attachment theory can also make an important contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis of Internet addiction.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine people’s tendency toward pathological Internet usage in relation to their attachment style.MethodsAn online survey was conducted. Sociodemographic data, attachment style (Bielefeld questionnaire partnership expectations), symptoms of Internet addiction (scale for online addiction for adults), used Web-based services, and online relationship motives (Cyber Relationship Motive Scale, CRMS-D) were assessed. In order to confirm the findings, a study using the Rorschach test was also conducted.ResultsIn total, 245 subjects were recruited. Participants with insecure attachment style showed a higher tendency to pathological Internet usage compared with securely attached participants. An ambivalent attachment style was particularly associated with pathological Internet usage. Escapist and social-compensatory motives played an important role for insecurely attached subjects. However, there were no significant effects with respect to Web-based services and apps used. Results of the analysis of the Rorschach protocol with 16 subjects corroborated these results. Users with pathological Internet use frequently showed signs of infantile relationship structures in the context of social groups. This refers to the results of the Web-based survey, in which interpersonal relationships were the result of an insecure attachment style.ConclusionsPathological Internet use was a function of insecure attachment and limited interpersonal relationships.

Attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder and Internet addiction comorbidity: A case report

IntroductionInternet addiction is a serious problem especially for children and adolescents. It is described by an individual's inability to control the Internet, which causes distress and functional impairment. Internet addiction symptoms can be Internet surfing, computer gaming, chatting and gambling by using Internet. Previous studies regarding Internet addiction can interfere with some psychiatric disorders; such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety or attention deficiency disorder (ADHD). Some researchers emphasized that psychiatric disorders and Internet addiction can be seen together and excessive use of the Internet has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Case19 years old male patient discussed in this paper who was admitted to our psychiatric service for the first time in his life, complaining about uncontrollable use of internet. He spent time more than 10 hours/day. His family finally opposed and took his computer from him, just before he got depressive symptoms. We diagnosed him ADHD by using psychometric tests and psychiatric evaluations. After medical therapy and psychotherapy, we discussed changes his psychiatric situations and symptoms.DiscussionThis case emphasized possible relationship between Internet addiction and symptoms of ADHD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Internet addiction and impulsivity among university students

IntroductionThe progress in technology adds to the new ways of communication between people. In our age, online communication has taken the place of face to face communication. People express themselves, become friends and in a way become who they are through the tools of social media. Many biological and psychological factors may affect the choice of people for communicating through social media.ObjectiveMain objective of this research is to measure the frequency of Internet addiction and it's relationship to social media use and impulsivity.MethodsThe population of the study is composed of 117 female (58.5%) and 83 male (41.5%) students between 18–25 years of age from Uskudar University. Barratt Impulsivity Scale and Internet Addiction Scale were used for data collection and measurement of variables.ResultsAmong the participants, 97.5% were found to go online everyday. Among the participants, 74.5% went online for social media use. Only 5% of the subjects fitted the criteria for Internet addiction. Thirty-six percent had limited symptoms for Internet addiction. Internet addiction symptoms and impulsivity were positively related. The tool for Internet access did not affect Internet addiction. Those who used a smart phone went online for social media use more commonly than those who used a computer.ConclusionIt has been debated that social media and the increase in smart phone use may be affecting young people and increase internet addiction rates, however we have found that impulsivity is an important factor for internet addiction as in other types of addiction.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Investigation of internet dependent and depressive symptoms among secondary school students

IntroductionInternet use and depression is a significant problem regardless of social status and in almost all age groups. Internet addiction in adolescents is considered to be the most important risk groups.ObjectivesThis study was conducted to determine correlation of Internet addiction and depressive symptoms among secondary school students.MethodThis research was conducted at two secondary public schools in İstanbul during 2015-2016 academic year. Ethics committee approval and permission was obtained from the Directorate of National Education Institutions. The population of the study was 2121 students. The sample group was 1312 students who completely filled in measuring instruments. The measuring instruments consisted of a personal information form, Internet Dependency Scale (IDS) and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The data were analyzed with the descriptive statistical analysis and Pearson correlation test.ResultsThe average of students’ age was 12.44 ± 1.20. 50.2% of the sample were women. 53.8% of the sample spent 1–2 hours per day in Internet. Mean IDS point was 38.942 ± 12.90 and mean CDI point was 12.52 ± 7.13. According to the IDS cutpoint; 80.9% of students were normal users, 18,4% of them were high-risk users and 0.6% of them were Internet dependents. According to the CDI cutpoint, 16.8% of the students had depressive symptoms. A statistically significant moderate correlation was found between mean scores of CDI and IDS (r = 0.414; P < 0.01).ConclusionsThere is a relation between Internet dependent and depressive symptoms. This finding supports the outcomes of previously performed studies.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Online aktivnosti i rizična ponašanja adolescenata u virtualnom okruženju

Internet addiction and cyberbullying among youth are phenomena that show a significant increase owing to the development of technology and the wide accessibility of the Internet. Research was conducted among adolescents (N = 352) in 9 randomly selected high schools in Croatia, with the aim of investigating the relationship between habitual Internet use and online risk behaviors among adolescents. The standardized measuring instruments used in the research were the Internet addiction test (Young, 1998) and The European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (Del Rey et al., 2015) and questions about sociodemographic characteristics of respondents and online activities. The results show that 36.2% of the participants exhibit different symptoms of Internet addiction, while 50.7% of them partake in various forms of cyberbullying. Furthermore, it is established that the amount of time spent on the Internet on instant messaging, watching movies/videos, listening to music and playing online games correlates both with Internet addiction and with participating in cyberbullying among young people. The research confirmed the assumptions of the theory of routine activities and the results indicate that perpetrators of cyberbullying show a tendency to risky behavior also in other online activities. The paper presents the relationship between the level of Internet addiction and experience of cyberbullying and provides guidelines for future research in this area.

Psychopathological, temperamental, and characteristic factors in adults with remaining childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity symptoms

Objectives: To investigate differences in psychopathological, temperamental and characteristic factors between young adults with and without persistent Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.Methods: A total of 429 university students were divided into three groups: persistent adult ADHD (n = 53), only childhood ADHD (n = 56) and healthy controls (n = 320). The Korean Adult ADHD Scale, Korean Wender-Utah Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Korean Young Internet Addiction Scale, and Temperament Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R; based on Cloninger’s seven factor model of temperament and character) were used to evaluate psychopathological factors.Results: Participants with persistent adult ADHD symptoms had significantly higher levels of childhood ADHD, depression, anxiety and the Internet addiction symptoms than did the only-childhood ADHD and control groups. The adult ADHD group also had significantly higher tendencies toward novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and self-transcendence, as well as low self-directedness and cooperativeness.Conclusions: Results suggest that persistent ADHD is associated with several unfavourable psychopathological, temperamental and characteristic factors. Therefore, thorough evaluation of these factors for childhood ADHD could help predict prognoses and provide treatment plans for preventing persistent ADHD into adulthood.

4th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions February 20-22, 2017 Haifa, Israel.

Background and aims: Previous small-scale studies in Portugal suggested that a minority of adolescents could be at risk for developing technological addictions such as Internet addiction (IA) and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). However, these findings are still to be replicated by larger studies using more robust samples. In light of this, the present aimed to ascertain how IA, IGD, and Facebook addiction (FA) may impact on Portuguese school-aged adolescents' mental health. Methods: A total of 509 school -aged adolescents were recruited (M age = 13 years; S.D. = 1.64 years) to a multi-technological addictions project. Data were collected on participants' sociodemographic, IA, IGD, FA, and several psychiatric symptoms. Results: Overall, the incidence of technological addictions was not overly prevalent across the sample (0% IA; 1% IGD; 1.8% FA), and a small minority of adolescents appeared to be 'at-risk' for developing technological addictions (1.6% IA; 0.6% IGD; 2.4% FA). Finally, increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were found to be consistently associated with augmented symptomatology of technological addictions. Conclusions: The findings of the present study provided preliminarily insights into how technological addictions may affect Portuguese school-aged adolescents, and corroborated a large body of international studies that found systematic links between technological addictions and psychiatric comorbidities.

Internet addiction and self-evaluated attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits among Japanese college students.

Internet addiction (IA), also referred to as Internet use disorder, is a serious problem all over the world, especially in Asian countries. Severe IA in students may be linked to academic failure, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and forms of social withdrawal, such as hikikomori. In this study, we performed a survey to investigate the relation between IA and ADHD symptoms among college students. Severity of IA and ADHD traits was assessed by self-report scales. Subjects were 403 college students (response rate 78%) who completed a questionnaire including Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1. Out of 403 subjects, 165 were male. The mean age was 18.4 ± 1.2 years, and mean total IAT score was 45.2 ± 12.6. One hundred forty-eight respondents (36.7%) were average Internet users (IAT < 40), 240 (59.6%) had possible addiction (IAT 40-69), and 15 (3.7%) had severe addiction (IAT ≥ 70). Mean length of Internet use was 4.1 ± 2.8 h/day on weekdays and 5.9 ± 3.7 h/day on the weekend. Females used the Internet mainly for social networking services while males preferred online games. Students with a positive ADHD screen scored significantly higher on the IAT than those negative for ADHD screen (50.2 ± 12.9 vs 43.3 ± 12.0). Our results suggest that Internet misuse may be related to ADHD traits among Japanese youth. Further investigation of the links between IA and ADHD is warranted.

Exploring depression, self-esteem and verbal fluency with different degrees of internet addiction among Chinese college students

BackgroundThe aims of this study were to explore depression, self-esteem and verbal fluency functions among normal internet users, mild internet addictions and severe internet addictions. MethodsThe survey sample consisted of 316 college students, and their internet addiction symptoms, depression and self-esteem symptoms were assessed using the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), respectively. From this sample, 16 students with non-addictions, 19 students with mild internet addiction (sub-MIA) and 15 students with severe internet addiction (sub-SIA) were recruited and subjected to the classical verbal fluency tests, including the semantic and phonemic fluency task. ResultsThe results indicated that severe internet addiction in the survey sample showed the highest tendency towards depressive symptoms and lowest self-esteem scores, and sub-SIA showed poor performance on the semantic fluency task. ConclusionIn conclusion, severe internet addiction was significantly associated with depression, low self-esteem and semantic verbal fluency problems.

Predicting Dysfunctional Internet Use

Internet addiction (IA) and cyberbullying (CB) represent two examples of dysfunctional Internet use (DIU) which are accompanied by negative consequences. In terms of prevention, the training of technical and reflective skills (Internet literacy) will be discussed with regard to these patterns. This study investigates the role of age, conscientiousness, and Internet literacy on IA symptoms and the participation in CB. Analyses reveal that positive attitudes towards online production and interaction and lower self-regulative skills can be associated with severe IA symptoms. Cyberbullies display less skills in reflecting on Internet content and also prove to have less self-regulative skills. Younger and less conscientious individuals are more likely to use the Internet dysfunctionally. Furthermore, significant correlations between experiences as a cyberbully and IA symptoms were found. In conclusion, the authors suggest that current media/Internet literacy curricula should be complemented by teaching reflective and regulative skills to prevent Internet users from negative consequences.

A Qualitative Exploration of Facebook Addiction: Working toward Construct Validity

Empirical research has emerged that supports the existence of Facebook addiction. However, most studies have methodological limitations. In particular, the assessment of Facebook addiction is often varied and unjustified, which compromises construct validity. The purpose of the current study is to perform a qualitative exploration of Facebook addiction using seven core symptoms of Internet addiction (negative consequences, loss of control, online social enhancement, preoccupation, mood alteration, withdrawal, and excessive use) as a foundation. Participants were 417 self-identified excessive Facebook users (131 male, 286 female) aged between 18 and 80 (X = 31.57, SD = 9.33). All participants were recruited from Facebook and online discussion boards. Data were collected using open-ended online survey questions. Thematic analysis of the responses has provided preliminary support for the existence of seven core symptoms of Internet addiction among excessive Facebook users. This study is among the first to conduct an in-depth qualitative exploration of Facebook addiction using a sample of Facebook users. The findings have helped move Facebook addiction research closer towards construct validity, which will allow for more focused research in this area.