Psychosocial risk factors associated with internet addiction in Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of Internet

addiction in middle school students and to identify associated psychosocial risk

factors and depression. METHODS: This study was part of a larger epidemiological

study on childhood psychiatric disorders conducted in Osan, a city of Republic of

Korea. We used IAS for internet addiction, K-YSR for subjects' emotional and

behavioral problems and K-CDI for depressive symptoms. We used the data of n=1217

completed cases. We put on independent variables, which are sex, age, smoking and

alcohol experiences, economic status, age of first Internet use, K-YSR and K-CDI

score. RESULTS: The subjects consisted of addicted users (2.38%), over users

(36.89%) and normal Internet users (60.72%). Attention problems, sex, delinquent

problems, K-CDI scores, thought problems, age and aggressive behavior were

predictable variables of internet addiction. Age of initial Internet use

negatively predicted Internet addiction. CONCLUSION: This result showed similar

to other researches about sociodemographic, emotional or behavioral factors

related to internet addiction. Generally, subjects with more severe internet

addiction had more emotional or behavioral problems. It means that they already

have had various difficulties when we found internet addiction of adolescents.

Therefore it is necessary to evaluate whether the subjects have any emotional or

behavioral troubles and to intervene to prevent internet addiction