The Difference in Comorbidities and Behavioral Aspects between Internet Abuse and Internet Dependence in Korean Male Adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the differences in psychiatric comorbidities and behavioral aspects in accordance with the severity of Internet addiction in male adolescents.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-five adolescents from four middle and high schools in Seoul were enrolled in this study. The subjects were divided into non-addict, abuse, and dependence groups according to a diagnostic interview by psychiatrists. The psychiatric comorbidities and behavioral aspects of subjects were evaluated through psychiatric clinical interviews based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), the Children's Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Internet Addiction Test, and a self-reported questionnaire about behavioral aspects.


RESULTS
The psychiatric comorbidity distributions were significantly different in the abuse and dependence groups, particularly in terms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and mood disorder items. The Children's Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Internet Addiction Test scores were also significantly different among the three groups. There were significant differences in 10 of the 20 items of the Internet Addiction Test between the non-addict, abuse, and dependence groups. There were significant differences in seven items between the non-addict and abuse groups, but no differences between subjects in the abuse and dependence groups. Significant differences were observed in three items between the abuse and dependence groups, but there were no significant differences between the non-addict and abuse groups. In terms of behavioral aspects, scores for abusive, sexual, and decreased social interest behaviors were highest in the dependence group, and lowest in the non-addict group. However, the behavioral aspects of decreased interpersonal relationships did not show this difference between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that there are differences in psychiatric comorbidities and behavioral aspects between adolescent males with characteristics of Internet abuse and Internet dependence.
Sungil Mental Hospital, Namwon, Republic of Korea.
June-Young
JY
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
E-Jin
EJ
Park
Addiction Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min
M
Kwon
Addiction Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Hye
JH
Choi
Addiction Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jo-Eun
JE
Jeong
Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jung-Seok
JS
Choi
Department of Psychiatry, Gangnam Eulji Hospital, Eulji University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sam Wook
SW
Choi
Addiction Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Chang-Uk
CU
Lee
Addiction Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Dai-Jin
DJ
Kim
Behavioral aspects; Comorbidity; Dependence; Internet abuse