title: Swiss psychiatrists' beliefs and attitudes about internet addiction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the beliefs and attitudes of Swiss general psychiatrists toward Internet addiction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-fourth Swiss psychiatrists filled out a questionnaire at a conference of general psychiatry assessing their views on the concept of Internet addiction, their evaluation methods and treatment procedures they use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cluster analysis revealed three groups: DISBELIEVERS (N = 20) rejected the concept of Internet addiction and its importance, not considering it a real clinical problem and consequently not considering the existence of a specific treatment. The NOSOLOGY BELIEVERS (N = 66) and NOSOLOGY/TREATMENT BELIEVERS (N = 8) assumed that Internet addiction is a real problem. While NOSOLOGY/TREATMENT BELIEVERS asserted the availability of effective treatment (mainly psychological), NOSOLOGY BELIEVERS were less affirmative regarding treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thought the concept of Internet addiction is largely acknowledged as a clinical reality by Swiss psychiatrists, routine screening and treatment remain uncommon, mainly due to the belief that efficient treatment is still lacking.
authors.affiliation: Division of Addictology, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue verte, 2, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland. Gabriel.thorens@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thorens
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khazaal
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billieux
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zullino