The Impact of Internet Addiction on Depression among Korean Adolescent Middle and High School Students

It is a well-known fact that Internet addiction adversely affects mental health of adolescents. This study was conducted to determine whether there is a difference in the experience of depression according to the level of Internet addiction. Participants included 73,238 middle and high school students from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) conducted in 2010. The level of Internet addiction and the experience of depression were assessed using self-diagnosis questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between Internet addiction and depression. High-risk and potential-risk Internet users were 1.61 times and 1.21 times more likely to experience depression, respectively, than normal Internet users. The increase in depression was more significant in girls students. Acknowledging the connection between Internet addiction and depression, the problem should be tackled from the perspective of school health by providing systematic Internet addiction prevention and treatment programs