Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2016 May 14. doi: 10.1111/pcn.12402.
Kawabe K1, Horiuchi F1, Ochi M1, Oka Y2, Ueno SI3.
- 1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, and Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Ehime University Hospital, Toon City, Ehime, Japan.
- 2Center for Sleep Medicine and Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Ehime University Hospital, Toon City, Ehime, Japan.
- 3Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon City, Ehime, Japan.
Abstract
AIM:
Internet addiction disrupts the daily lives of adolescents. We investigated the prevalence of Internet addiction in junior high school students, elucidated the relationship between Internet addiction and mental states, and determined the factors associated with Internet addiction in adolescents.
METHODS:
Junior high school students (age, 12-15 years) were assessed using Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Japanese version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and a questionnaire on access to electric devices.
RESULTS:
Based on total IAT scores, 2.0% (male, 2.1%; female, 1.9%) and 21.7% (male, 19.8%; female, 23.6%) of the total 853 participants (response rate, 97.6%) were classified as Addicted and Possibly-addicted, respectively. Total GHQ scores were significantly higher in the Addicted (12.9 ± 7.4) and Possibly-addicted groups (8.8 ± 6.0) than in the Non-addicted group (4.3 4.6; P < 0.001, both groups). Comparison of the percentage of students in the pathological range of GHQ scores revealed significantly higher scores in the Possibly-addicted group than in the Non-addicted group. Further, accessibility to smartphones was significantly associated with Internet addiction.
CONCLUSION:
Students in the Addicted and Possibly-addicted groups were considered “problematic” Internet users. Use of smartphones warrants special attention being among the top factors contributing to Internet addiction.
KEYWORDS:
Adolescents; General Health Questionnaire (GHQ); Internet addiction; Suicidal ideation; Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT)
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