title: Determinants of Internet addiction among adolescents: a case-control study.
abstract: Internet Addiction (IA) is associated with adverse psychosocial development and mental disorders. The study aims were to evaluate the psychosocial profiles and psychiatric comorbidities associated with IA among adolescents. A case-control study was conducted among 129 adolescents in the outpatient setting of the Adolescent Health Unit of the Second University Department of Pediatrics in Athens, Greece. The case group consisted of 86 adolescents with IA as evaluated following psychiatric interview with two independent examiners. The control group consisted of 43 adolescents without IA, frequency matched for age and gender with case group participants. The study findings indicated that adolescents with IA were significantly more likely to have divorced parents (p = 0.012) and/or dysfunctional familial relationships (p < 0.0001). The proportion of adolescents with poor academic performance (p < 0.0001) and unexcused school absences (p = 0.004) was greater among those with IA. Moreover, approximately two-thirds of the adolescents with IA were engaged in high-risk behaviors (p < 0.0001). Finally, adolescents with IA were 3.89 times more likely to present with comorbid psychiatric conditions (CI 95%: 1.19-12.70), including depression (10.5 vs. 0%; p = 0.022). Adolescent IA is associated with deterred familial functions, poor academic performance, engagement in high-risk behaviors, and an augmented likelihood for depression.
authors.affiliation: Adolescent Health Unit, Second University Department of Pediatrics, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Greece.
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsitsika
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Critselis
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louizou
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janikian
authors.forename: Aliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freskou
authors.forename: Evgenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marangou
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kormas
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kafetzis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D004243:Divorce; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors