title: Internet addiction is associated with social anxiety in young adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Problematic Internet use or excessive Internet use is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regarding computer use, and Internet access that leads to impairment or distress. Cross-sectional studies on samples of patients reported high comorbidity of Internet addiction with psychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders (including depression), anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have investigated the association between Internet addiction and social anxiety in 2 samples of 120 university students (60 males and 60 females in each sample).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a correlation between Internet addiction and social anxiety in the 2 samples (r=0.411, P<.001; r=0.342, P<.01) respectively. Secondly, we found no difference between males and females on the level of Internet addiction. Thirdly, we did not find a preference for social networks among participants with high levels of social anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study support previous evidence for co-occurrence of Internet addiction and social anxiety, but further studies need to clarify this association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel. E-mail: avivweinstein@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aviv
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: Dikla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dorani
authors.forename: Rotem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elhadif
authors.forename: Yehely
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bukovza
authors.forename: Anastasya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yarmulnik
authors.forename: Pinhas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dannon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult