title: The exacerbation of depression, hostility, and social anxiety in the course of Internet addiction among adolescents: a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In adolescent populations worldwide, Internet addiction is prevalent and is often comorbid with depression, hostility, and social anxiety of adolescents. This study aimed at evaluating the exacerbation of depression, hostility, and social anxiety in the course of getting addiction to Internet or remitting from Internet addiction among adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study recruited 2293 adolescents in grade 7 to assess their depression, hostility, social anxiety and Internet addiction. The same assessments were repeated one year later. The incidence group was defined as subjects classified as non-addicted in the first assessment and as addicted in the second assessment. The remission group was defined as subjects classified as addicted in the first assessment and as non-addicted in the second assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence group exhibited increased depression and hostility more than the non-addiction group and the effect of on depression was stronger among adolescent girls. Further, the remission group showed decreased depression, hostility, and social anxiety more than the persistent addiction group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression and hostility worsen in the addiction process for the Internet among adolescents. Intervention of Internet addiction should be provided to prevent its negative effect on mental health. Depression, hostility, and social anxiety decreased in the process of remission. It suggested that the negative consequences could be reversed if Internet addiction could be remitted within a short duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807; Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 812; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807.
authors.forename: Chih-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807.
authors.forename: Tai-Ling
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807.
authors.forename: Peng-Wei
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807.
authors.forename: Cheng-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807.
authors.forename: Cheng-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 807; Department of psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 801. Electronic address: yenjuyu@cc.kmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ju-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020407:Internet; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult