Internet Addiction and Depression among Syrian College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

IF 1.2 Q4 PSYCHIATRY

Psychiatry international Pub Date : 2023-09-01 DOI:10.3390/psychiatryint4030027

Sarya Swed, Haidara Bohsas, Hidar Alibrahim, M. A. Rais, Mohamed E G Elsayed, A. Nashwan, M. M. Hasan, Mohamad Nour Nasif, Bisher Sawaf, M. K. Albuni, Elias Battikh, Rawan Abo Kash, S. Shoib

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Abstract

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) or internet addiction has become increasingly prevalent, and concerns about its impact on mental health and social functioning have grown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIU among Syrian university students and its relationship with their demographics, internet user behavior, and mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Syrian government universities between 12 April and 29 May 2022. The survey included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Internet Addiction Scale. Results: Out of 2891 participants, 75.2% were female, with an average age of 21.87. The average Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score was 49.4, and the overall prevalence of PIU was 89%. Furthermore, 93.0% of participants displayed possible signs and symptoms of depression. PIU was significantly linked with physical abuse (p = 0.001) and mental stress (p = 0.0001). Internet addiction is (AOR:1.723, COR:2.289) fold more likely to occur in those with more than 8 h of sleep per night than in those who sleep for less than 6 h (p-value < 0.05). Unadjusted regression analysis showed that 13 predictors of the independent variables were statistically significant in predicting the presence of internet addiction, such as participants who suffered from a breakup (COR:2.039), domestic violence (COR:2.136), physical abuse (COR:2.190), or mental stress (COR:2.621) were more likely to be affected by internet addiction than those who did not (p-value < 0.05). Conclusions: The study found a high rate of internet addiction among Syrian medical students, with those experiencing mental health problems and depression symptoms more likely to be internet addicts. To prevent PIU, students should be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports, and awareness programs should be enhanced to highlight the negative effects of internet addiction.

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叙利亚大学生网络成瘾与抑郁状况的横断面研究

背景：有问题的网络使用（PIU）或网络成瘾越来越普遍，人们越来越担心它对心理健康和社会功能的影响。本研究旨在调查叙利亚大学生PIU的患病率及其与人口统计学、互联网用户行为和心理健康的关系。方法：在2022年4月12日至5月29日期间，对叙利亚公立大学的医学本科生进行了一项横断面研究。这项调查包括贝克抑郁量表和网络成瘾量表。结果：2891名参与者中，女性占75.2%，平均年龄21.87岁。平均网络成瘾测试（IAT）得分为49.4，PIU的总体患病率为89%。此外，93.0%的参与者表现出可能的抑郁症状和体征。PIU与身体虐待（p=0.001）和精神压力（p=0.0001）显著相关。每晚睡眠时间超过8小时的人发生网络成瘾的可能性（AOR:1.723，COR:2.289）是睡眠时间少于6小时的人的两倍（p值<0.05）。未经调整的回归分析显示预测是否存在网络成瘾，如遭受分手（COR:2.039）、家庭暴力（COR:2.136）、身体虐待（COR:2.190）或精神压力（COR:2.621）的参与者比没有受到网络成瘾影响的参与者更有可能受到网络成瘾的影响（p值<0.05），那些有心理健康问题和抑郁症状的人更有可能是网络成瘾者。为了预防PIU，应该鼓励学生参加课外活动，如体育活动，并加强意识计划，以突出网络成瘾的负面影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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