Risk Factors For Internet Addiction Research Articles

Exploring internet addiction during Covid-19 pandemic: a comparative study considering psychological, social, familial and individual aspects in University students.

Internet addiction causes a variety of social, interpersonal, psychological, and physical issues. We are confronting a worldwide crisis about internet addiction and its effects. Utilizing five questionnaires to survey university students during the COVID-19 epidemic, the current study sought to evaluate internet addiction and associated risk variables. At the University of Medical Sciences in North Iran, a cross-sectional analytical investigation was carried out. The sample was done among 318 students, selected through the random cluster sampling method. Data collection was done during August and September 2021. Based on our findings, the prevalence of internet addiction was 28.9% (92/318). Our results revealed that women are at twice the twice the risk of internet addiction as men (p = 0.028). Students in the medicinal field (p = 0.043; students with a positive history of mental illness in the family) p = 0.001 (and students with a fear of COVID-19) p = 0.002 (recognized in the risk of Internet addiction, thus depression) p < 0.001 (anxiety) p < 0.001 (somatization) p = 0.001 (and psychological distress) p < 0.001 are risk factors for internet addiction. Age, marital status, place of living, total social support, and use of Alcohol/cigarettes are not risk factors for internet addiction. The findings suggest that university students with a fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, somatization, psychological distress and a positive history of mental illness in the family, particularly medicinal field students, are at significant risk for Internet addiction.

Personal risk factors of internet addiction in adolescents aged 15–17 years

Internet addiction formation and manifestations are a relevant trend in contemporary research. It is important to identify adolescents who have risk of developing Internet addiction so that early interventions can be made and certain impacts can be exerted on personal characteristics that contribute to formation of persistent addictive behavior able to affect health. The aim of this study was to establish personal risk factors of developing Internet addiction in adolescents aged 15–17 years. A comprehensive study was carried out on 407 adolescents aged 15–17 years who attended comprehensive secondary schools in Ivanovo. To assess the Internet addiction in adolescents, S. Chen’s method was used; personal characteristics of adolescents were determined using the Eysenck test. Mental performance was assessed based on the results of proofreading tests (M.V. Antropova); academic performance was estimated per the average score. Data were statistically analyzed using conventional methods of variation statistics. High neuroticism, introversion in girls, and centroversion in boys are risk factors able to cause formation of Internet ad-diction in adolescents; an increase in the severity of neuroticism in these groups combined with a decrease in accuracy, mental performance and academic performance is also a risk factor of Internet addiction in adolescents aged 15–17 years. A direct correlation was found between the Internet addiction score and the level of neuroticism. At risk of Internet addiction, introversion was detected in girls more often than in boys, and extraversion and high neuroticism were detected in the group with Internet addiction. Boys with Internet addiction were more likely to have centroversion than girls. Adolescents with severe Internet addiction had the lowest levels of accuracy and mental performance quotient and lower academic performance. High neuroticism, introversion in girls, centroversion in boys, an increase in the severity of neuroticism, a decrease in accuracy, mental performance and academic performance are risk factors of Internet addiction formation in adolescents. This justifies the need to carry out sanitary and hygienic measures that should involve development of standards for safe Internet use and inclusion of psycho-prophylaxis

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

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.

Prevalence, demographics and clinical characteristics of Internet addiction among Chinese adolescents with schizophrenia.

Several studies have reported that Internet addiction (IA) is more prevalent in the psychiatric disorder population. However, the prevalence of IA and its relationship with clinical variables among Chinese adolescents with schizophrenia is unclear. This study sought to investigate the prevalence of IA and its clinical correlates in Chinese adolescents with schizophrenia, which has not yet been reported. Seven hundred and six inpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were recruited. All patients underwent Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to measure Internet addiction, as well as the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for psychopathology. Our results showed that 186 patients had a total IAT score of 50 or more, bringing the prevalence of IA to 26.3%. Girls (21.7%, 92/424) were less likely to have combined IA than boys (33.3%, 94/282). Compared to those patients without IA, patients with IA had better socioeconomic status, higher probability of living in the city, higher levels of depressive symptoms, excited symptoms, and lower levels of concrete symptoms and PANSS total scores (all p<0.05). Further binary logistic regression analysis indicated that good socioeconomic status, living in the city and PANSS total scores were significantly associated with IA. In addition, correlation analysis showed significant correlations between IA total score and the following parameters: good socioeconomic status, living in the city, negative subscore, concrete subscore, depression subscore, excited subscore and PANSS total score (Bonferroni corrected all p <0.05). The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of IA in Chinese adolescents with schizophrenia is higher than that in the general population. Several demographic and clinical variables are risk factors for IA in adolescents with schizophrenia.

Relationship between parenting style and internet addiction: Interpersonal relationship problem as a mediator and gender as a moderator

PurposeThis study assessed the moderating effect of gender on the indirect effects of positive and negative parenting styles on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. MethodsA cross-sectional survey of randomly sampled 1194 college students recruited voluntarily from three universities in China was conducted to assess the variables of positive and negative parenting styles, interpersonal relationship problem, and Internet addiction. ResultsPositive parenting style, such as emotional warmth, was a protective factor for the development of Internet addiction, whereas negative parenting style, such as rejection and overprotection, was a potential risk factor for Internet addiction. Furthermore, interpersonal relationship problem completely mediated the association between positive parenting style and Internet addiction but partially mediated the relationship between negative parenting style and Internet addiction. Finally, gender moderated the indirect effect of parenting style on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. ConclusionThe correlation between positive parenting style and interpersonal relationship problem was considerably weaker among females, whereas the association between interpersonal relationship problem and Internet addiction was much stronger among females. For the prevention and intervention of Internet addiction, it is important to increase positive parenting style for males while enhancing interpersonal skills training for females. Further longitudinal studies should discuss the effects of paternal and maternal parenting styles on Internet addiction.

The association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction among Chinese junior middle school students: prospective cohort study.

Childhood maltreatment is associated with internet addiction, but most evidence is from retrospective studies. We aimed to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction through a prospective cohort design. In a prospective cohort study, self-reported data on childhood maltreatment (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form) at baseline, and internet addiction (Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale) at baseline and 6-month follow-up, were collected online from 756 Chinese junior middle school students aged 11-15 years and residing in Changsha, Hunan Province. Demographic data and covariates such as depression, anxiety, stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21) and insomnia (Athens Insomnia Scale) were also surveyed at baseline. Logistic regression analysis measured the association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction, and gender-related differences. Childhood maltreatment was prevalent in Chinese junior middle school students (37.83%), and the incidence rate of internet addiction was 9.26% at the 6-month follow-up. Emotional abuse was a significant risk factor for internet addiction (adjusted odds ratio 2.618, 95% CI 1.194-5.738; P = 0.016) in both males and females. This study suggests a high prevalence of childhood maltreatment in Chinese junior middle school students, and that emotional abuse plays a significant role in internet addiction. More attention should be paid to parenting style and adolescents' mental health.

The Association Between Child Abuse and Internet Addiction: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis.

Child abuse is an important factor for Internet addiction. Despite numerous researches had observed there was a positive correlation between child abuse and Internet addiction, the strength of this association differed considerably in the previous studies. This study aims to obtain reliable estimates for effect sizes and investigate the potential moderator of the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. Thirty-one studies reported the association between child abuse and Internet addiction (273 effect sizes and 55,585 participants) through a systematic literature search. Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis approach, a three-level model was employed to conduct a three-level meta-analysis. The current meta-analysis found that child abuse was significantly positively correlated with Internet addiction. Besides, the study found that the type of child abuse and publication year had significant moderating effects on the association between child abuse and Internet addiction. This study suggested child abuse was a risk factor for Internet addiction. Moreover, child abuse is an essential factor should be considered when strengthening interventions for individuals' Internet addiction.

“Don’t Leave me Behind!” Problematic Internet Use and Fear of Missing Out Through the Lens of Epistemic Trust in Emerging Adulthood

The present study investigates the association between Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Problematic Internet Use (PIU) in a sample of 358 cisgender emerging adults (74.58% females assigned at birth; Mage = 25.02, SD = 2.60; age range: 18–29 years), with a specific focus on the roles of various stances of Epistemic Trust, including Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity. The aim is to explore the complexities of these relationships and their implications for the psychological well-being of this population. We computed a mediation model to examine the relationships among PIU as the dependent variable, FoMO as the predictor, and Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity as the mediating factors. Covariates such as age, gender, and sexual orientation were also considered in the analysis. The results revealed significant indirect effects for both Mistrust and Credulity. Specifically, higher levels of FoMO were associated with increased Mistrust and Credulity, leading to greater PIU. In contrast, the indirect effect of Trust was not significant. Also, FoMO had a direct effect on PIU. The results highlight the importance of considering Mistrust and Credulity as potential risk factors for Internet addiction in emerging adults. These findings have practical implications for clinical practice, psychological assessment, and intervention strategies, emphasizing the need to address FoMO and its associated vulnerabilities within different therapeutic settings. By doing so, mental health professionals can better support the psychological well-being of emerging adults and assist them in navigating the challenges inherent to this crucial developmental stage.

INTERNET DEPENDENCE: RISK FACTORS AND INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENTS

Purpose: a review of domestic and foreign studies in the field of the formation of Internet addiction in adolescents.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The article presents a review of the literature and analyzes scientific research on the prevalence of Internet addiction, the formation of Internet addiction and the individual psychological characteristics of adolescents according to researchers from various countries. The authors of the article conducted a scientific search using the relevant keywords in PubMed and Google Scholar search engines, in databases for searching scientific information: RFBR Library, PsyJournals, PsyArxiv, Scopus, Web of Science, MedLine, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Global Health, CyberLeninka, RSCI (eLIBRARY.RU) and others.&#x0D; Results. To study the presence of Internet addiction and its types, surveys are used in research ("Chen Internet Addiction Scale" (CIAS), "Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents" (GASA) and "The Social Media Disorder Scale" (SMDS), Russian-language versions of questionnaires), psychological testing and psychological observation. Significant risk factors for Internet addiction in adolescents are: high excitability (irritability, nervousness); decrease in self-control (decrease in the manifestation of one's own emotions and motivations for activity); emotional instability (mood swings, impulsiveness, inconsistency of actions); anxiety-depressive conditions; tendency to introversion according to a complex of personality traits; insufficient development of emotional (social) intelligence (perception, use, understanding and management of emotions), difficulties in the educational process.&#x0D; Conclusion. Early warning of the development of Internet addiction should be carried out in educational institutions. Personalized prevention of Internet addiction in the adolescent age group is the most effective and can significantly reduce the incidence. A qualified psychologist can identify a tendency to addictive behavior in adolescents. Educate children and adolescents in the reasonable use of technology. More research is needed in adolescents to better identify commonalities and different types of Internet content addiction.

Possible Demographic, Physical, and Psychological Characteristics Associated with Internet Addiction in Turkish People

Background: Internet addiction is a growing concern worldwide, affecting individuals of all ages and backgrounds. To date, little is known about the demographic, physical, and psychological characteristics of Turkish adults with internet addiction. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the possible associated demographic, physical, and psychological characteristics of internet addiction in Turkish adults, with the goal of informing prevention and intervention efforts.&#x0D; Methods: The sociodemographic information collected in this study included age, gender, dominant upper limb, educational status, employment status, size of place of residence and smoking use. The Internet Addiction Scale was used to assess internet addiction. International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity levels. Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess depression-related symptoms, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality.&#x0D; Results: The participants in the study had an average age of 45 years with a standard deviation of ±9 years, ranging from 18 to 65 years. The multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that among the variables studied, only moderate or severe depression was significantly associated with strong internet addiction with an odds ratio of 11.496 and a p-value of 0.002. None of the other variables showed a significant association with strong internet addiction (p&gt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this study highlight the importance of considering depression as a potential risk factor for internet addiction. Future research could explore the underlying mechanisms and causal pathways between depression and internet addiction, and investigate potential interventions to address this issue.

Extent and Severity of Internet Addiction in Persons with Common Mental Disorders

Abstract Background: There is a scarcity of literature about Internet addiction (IA) in common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorders. Early identification of IA in CMDs can help in better management of both disorders. Aims: To assess the extent and severity of IA in persons with CMDs. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, single-group, exploratory study conducted at the Department of Psychiatry of tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. Patients aged 18 years and above and diagnosed with CMDs (Neurotic and stress-related disorders, Depressive Disorder, and substance use disorder) as per the ICD-11 criteria were included in the study after taking written informed consent. The severity of CMDs was assessed on Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Yale-Brown Obsessive-compulsive Scale, Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire and Severity of Opioid Dependence Questionnaire. The level of IA was assessed using Young’s IA Test. Results: A total of 150 patients diagnosed with CMDs were included. Males were slightly more than females (56% v/s 44%), most were younger than 40 years of age (55.3%), married (66.7%) and from urban (65.3%) background. Out of 150, 84 (56%) had depressive disorder, 45 (30%) had anxiety disorder, 15 (10%) had OCD and only 6 (4%) had substance use disorders. 69 (46%) participants had IA (36 mild and 33 moderate) and none had severe IA. A significant association was found between IA and CMDs (P &lt; 0.05). Age, marital status, and type of residence were independent predictors or risk factors for IA. Conclusion: The index study concludes that there is a strong association between CMDs and IA. About half of persons with CMDs have IA.

Internet Addiction and its Relationship with Attachment Styles Among Tunisian Medical Students

Internet addiction is a growing addictive behavior and a major public health problem worldwide. Several psychological factors can contribute to the problematic use of the Internet. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Internet Addiction (IA) in a sample of university students and to examine the relationship between IA, self-esteem, and attachment styles. The present study was a cross-sectional study, involving 135 students from the Faculty of Medicine of Monastir. The participants completed a questionnaire, which contained the socio-demographic data, the reasons for Internet use, the Young Cyberaddiction scale to seek IA, the Relationships-style-questionnaire-RSQ to assess attachment style, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The mean age of the students was 21.5 ± 1.9 years old. They were 112 (83%) females. The prevalence of Internet addiction was 23.7%. The average connection time was 3.5 ± 1.8 hours/day. The most frequent online activities were chat (online discussion, forums ...) in 94.8% of cases followed by download activities (78.5%), scientific research (75.6%), online games (23.7%), and online shopping (13.3%). IA was associated with school failure, alcohol use, online gaming, and low self-esteem. The majority of the participants (84.4%) in this study reported an insecure attachment style. Logistic regression analysis showed a strong association between IA and fearful attachment style. IA was frequent among students. Fearful attachment style was found to be a risk factor for IA. This study highlights the impact of relationships between child and their caregivers on the development of addiction.

Protective and Risk Parenting Styles for Internet and Online Gambling Addiction

This study analyzes the relationship of the four parenting styles, authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful, with Internet addiction and online gambling addiction. Study sample was 512 adolescents aged between 16 and 21 years (63.9% females, M = 18.7 , SD = 1.8 ). A 4 × 2 × 2 MANOVA was applied for the outcome variables of Internet addiction (loss of control, emotional need and dependence) and gambling (anticipation, desire, and relief) with parenting style (authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful), sex (boy vs. girls), and age (16-18 years old vs. 19-21 years old) as independent variables. The results provide evidence of the relationship between parenting styles and technological addictions, showing that parenting characterized by the use of practices of involvement and acceptance (authoritative and indulgent parenting) can act as protective factors for Internet addiction and online gambling addiction. On the contrary, authoritarian parenting, characterized by the use of strictness and imposition practices, would act as a risk factor for Internet addiction and online gambling addiction. The protective and risk effects of parenting styles over adolescents’ technological addictions take place irrespective of their sex and age.

Neurobiological risk factors for problematic social media use as a specific form of Internet addiction: A narrative review.

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a behavioral addiction, a specific form of problematic Internet use associated with the uncontrolled use of social networks. It is typical mostly for modern adolescents and young adults, which are the first generations fully grown up in the era of total digitalization of society. The modern biopsychosocial model of the formation of behavioral addictions, postulating the impact of a large number of biological, psychological, and social factors on addictive behavior formation, may be quite applicable to PSMU. In this narrative review, we discussed neurobiological risk factors for Internet addiction with a focus on current evidence on the association between PSMU and structural/ functional characteristics of the brain and autonomic nervous system, neurochemical correlations, and genetic features. A review of the literature shows that the vast majority of the mentioned neurobiological studies were focused on computer games addiction and generalized Internet addiction (without taking into account the consumed content). Even though a certain number of neuroimaging studies have been conducted for PSMU, there is practically no research on neuropeptide and genetic associations for PSMU to date. This fact points to the extremely high relevance of such studies.

Associations between internet addiction and psychological problems among adolescents: description and possible explanations.

Internet addiction (IA) is becoming a significant public health issue that requires urgent attention, especially for adolescents. Previous studies mainly focused on the risk factors of Internet addiction and drawn some conclusions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet addiction status and concurrent psychological problems in adolescent groups, and explore the differences in the relationship between IA and psychological problems in adolescents from gender and grade. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of junior and senior high school in 21 prefecture-level cities of Guangdong Province. The Young Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) and the validated Chinese version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were used to assess participants' Internet addiction and psychological status. Two-way ANOVA was used to verify the interaction between gender and Internet addiction, grade and Internet addiction on psychological problems. When the interaction was statistically significant, simple effect analysis was further carried out. The prevalence of problematic Internet use (PIU), depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among adolescents were 16.32%, 30.16%, 35.97% and 18.80% respectively. Although the prevalence of PIU among boys (17.89%) was higher than that of girls (14.86%), girls in PIU group had the highest scores of depression, anxiety and stress. Similarly, the interaction between grade and Internet addiction was also significant (p < 0.05). Although the prevalence of PIU was the highest in grade 9 (17.29%), the adverse effects of Internet addiction on psychological problems were different in different grades. Internet addiction was prevalent among adolescents in Guangdong province, and psychological problems also cannot be ignored. Thus, this study suggests that long-term follow-ups should be included in mental health programs of adolescents to monitor the development of Internet addiction and psychological problems.

Negative Life Events, Negative Copying Style, and Internet Addiction in Middle School Students: A Large Two-year Follow-up Study.

Through a two-year follow-up study among 2,845 middle school students, we examined the impact of baseline negative life events (NLE) on follow-up negative copying style (NCS) and Internet addiction (IA), and the mediation of NCS between NLE and IA. We found that all NLE, NCS, and IA were correlated, and that both NLE and NCS were risk factors for IA. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed that NLE were associated with increased NCS (β = 0.17, p < 0.01) and IA (β = 0.16, p < 0.01), that NCS was associated IA ( β = 0.33, p < 0 0.01), and that NCS partially mediated the effect of NLE on IA ( β = 0.17, p < 0.01). This large longitudinal study provided solid empirical evidence that NLE and NCS played important roles in IA among middle school students. Educators and policy makers may adopt corresponding approaches to address IA among this population.

Symptom relationships between internet addiction and anxiety across primary and middle school students during the Omicron lockdown

During the Omicron pandemic, students in Shenzhen took classes at home via the internet, which could lead to internet addiction (IA) symptoms, and anxiety is often considered an important risk factor for IA. There are several different developmental stages within adolescence. However, no studies have explored the interaction between IA and anxiety at the symptom level using a longitudinal design stratified by age. A total of 2744 students completed the questionnaire 50 days after starting the online classes (T1) and 50 days after they returned to school (T2). A cross-lagged panel network model was used to describe the structure of the comorbidity network. With the help of bootstrapping, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the differences between primary school students' and middle school students' networks. The results found that there is a bidirectional interaction between IA and anxiety, and anxiety plays a dominant role. Feeling afraid is the bridge symptom between IA and anxiety. IA did not show developmental stage differences, but anxiety did. These findings extend the model of compensatory internet use and suggest that, when alleviating IA symptoms in adolescents, attention should be given to their possible comorbid anxiety symptoms, especially in middle school students.

Prevalence, Pattern and Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among adolescents

Prevalence, Pattern and Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among adolescents

The Moderator Effect of Subthreshold Autistic Traits on the Relationship between Quality of Life and Internet Addiction.

People with sub-threshold autistic traits (SATs) are more prone to develop addictive behaviors such the ones linked to Internet abuse. The restrictions for anti-COVID-19 distancing measures encourage social isolation and, consequently, increase screen time, which may lead to Internet addiction (IA). However, a better quality of life (QoL) may have function as a protective factor against the development of IA. This study wanted to investigate the relation between SATs, QoL, and the overuse of the Internet in a group of 141 university students in the North of Italy. Participants completed a battery of tests. Results suggest that QoL is a predictive factor of IA and that the relationship between QoL and IA is significantly moderated by SATs. This could mean that SATs might represent a risk factor for IA, even when people have a better quality of life. Differences between female and male students are discussed, as well as possible implications for practice.

Risk factors for internet addiction among Croatian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Following the increased internet use due to the COVID-19 pandemic there have been concerns regarding an elevated risk of developing internet addiction (IA). University students are especially prone to develop IA and risk factors for its development in this population during pandemics are not fully investigated nor understood. This study aimed to identify possible risk factors of IA in the studied population during the ongoing pandemic and to compare it with risk factors in pre-pandemic time. Methods In April 2016 and April 2022 a validated, anonymous questionnaire that contained questions regarding demographic data, as well as Young's Internet Addiction Test, was self-administered to a cross-faculty representative student sample of the University of Osijek, Croatia. Results The study included 1602 university students median age of 21 years (interquartile range 20-22), 34.5% males, and 65.5% females. There was no statistically significant difference in the median age between the two student samples (p = 0.234). The main reason for internet use (social networking and entertainment and online gaming) was considered the significant risk factor for IA in a studied population in pre-pandemic time (the year 2016) and pandemic time (the year 2022) (p &amp;lt; 0.001). In pre-pandemic time the IA was more frequent in males (p = 0.046) while the difference in IA prevalence between sexes did not exist during pandemics (p = 0.160). During pandemics, the students who did not work during their study had higher proportions of IA (p = 0.021) while there was no difference in IA prevalence among students regarding their working status during the study in pre-pandemic time (p = 0.251). Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic working status of students has been recognized as the new risk factor for IA in the Croatian university students population. Further studies are needed to identify other possible risk factors for IA in the studied population during pandemics. Key messages