title: Internet addiction and self-evaluated attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits among Japanese college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Internet addiction (IA), also referred to as Internet use disorder, is a serious problem all over the world, especially in Asian countries. Severe IA in students may be linked to academic failure, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and forms of social withdrawal, such as hikikomori. In this study, we performed a survey to investigate the relation between IA and ADHD symptoms among college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Severity of IA and ADHD traits was assessed by self-report scales. Subjects were 403 college students (response rate 78%) who completed a questionnaire including Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 403 subjects, 165 were male. The mean age was 18.4 ± 1.2 years, and mean total IAT score was 45.2 ± 12.6. One hundred forty-eight respondents (36.7%) were average Internet users (IAT < 40), 240 (59.6%) had possible addiction (IAT 40-69), and 15 (3.7%) had severe addiction (IAT ≥ 70). Mean length of Internet use was 4.1 ± 2.8 h/day on weekdays and 5.9 ± 3.7 h/day on the weekend. Females used the Internet mainly for social networking services while males preferred online games. Students with a positive ADHD screen scored significantly higher on the IAT than those negative for ADHD screen (50.2 ± 12.9 vs 43.3 ± 12.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that Internet misuse may be related to ADHD traits among Japanese youth. Further investigation of the links between IA and ADHD is warranted.
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, Tokiwa Child Development Center, Tokiwa Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.|Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Masaru
authors: M
authors: Tateno
authors: Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.|School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, Portland, USA.
authors: Alan R
authors: AR
authors: Teo
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Shirasaka
authors: Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.|Department of Psychiatry, Miki Mental Clinic, Hokujinkai Medical Corporation, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Masaya
authors: M
authors: Tayama
authors: School of Business, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
authors: Motoki
authors: M
authors: Watabe
authors: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.|Brain Research Unit, Innovation Center for Medical Redox Navigation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Takahiro A
authors: TA
authors: Kato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 
  Internet addiction; 
  Internet use disorder; 
  hikikomori
  ; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; neurodevelopmental disorders