INTERNET ADDICTION AND ITS RELATION TO STRESS AND DEPRESSION AMONG DUHOK MEDICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS
Keywords:
Depression, Internet Addiction, Medical Students, Stress
Abstract
https://doi.org/10.31386/dmj.2021.15.2.1
Background: By Jun 2020, 4.6 Billion (59.6% of the total world population) people worldwide were using the internet. Internet is regarded as one of the greatest creations as it provides access to a great amount of knowledge and entertainment. Nevertheless, it can have harmful effects on the physical and emotional health as it has been linked to several psychiatric illnesses, such as, anxiety, depression, insomnia…etc. This study aims to assess the relationship between internet addiction and stress and depression among Duhok-medical college students.
Methodology: An online held, cross-sectional study was conducted among students of the University of Duhok-College of medicine; 345 students were involved. The data were collected by a Google form using Internet Addiction Test and DASS 21. The form was used to assess the following: internet addiction, stress and depression, along with socio-demographic data. Data were analyzed using SPSS and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The prevalence of IA, stress and depression among the sample was 74.8%, 42.9% and 59.7%, respectively. The p-value for the relation between the age groups and gender and IA, stress and depression was >0.5. However, it was found that internet addiction had a highly significant effect on stress and depression (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of internet addiction was found to be high with a positively statistically significant relation to depressive and stressful traits among medical students. However, no significant relation between the genders nor the different age groups regarding internet addiction was found.
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References
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2. Hoeg, N., & Parisi, T. (n.d.). 5 Types of Internet Addiction-Get Help Today. Addiction Center. https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/internet-addiction/.
3. Gupta, A., Khan, A. M., Rajoura, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (2018). Internet addiction and its mental health correlates among undergraduate college students of a university in North India. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 7(4), 721–727. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc. jfmpc_266_17.
4. American Psychological Association: APA Dictionary of Psychology [Internet]. [Cited 2020 Jun 7th]. Available from: https://dictionary. apa.org/internet-addiction.
5. Naseri, L., Mohamadi, J., Sayehmiri, K., & Azizpoor, Y. (2015). Perceived Social Support, Self-Esteem, and Internet Addiction Among Students of Al-Zahra University, Tehran, Iran. Iranian journal of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, 9(3), e421. https://doi.org/10.17795/ijpbs-421.
6. Kumar, S., Kumar, A., Badiyani, B., Singh, S. K., Gupta, A., & Ismail, M. B. (2018). Relationship of internet addiction with depression and academic performance in Indian dental students. Clujul medical (1957), 91(3), 300–306. https:// doi. org/10.15386/cjmed-796.
7. Younes F, Halawi G, Jabbour H, El Osta N, Karam L, Hajj A et al. Internet Addiction and Relationships with Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Self-Esteem in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Designed Study. PLoS One. 2016; 11(9): e0161126. Published 2016 Sep 12.doi: 10.1371/journal. pone. 0161126.
8. Taha, P. H., Esmael, B. M. S., Al-Dabbagh, S. A. Internet use and addiction among students of University of Duhok. DMJ. 2016; 10(2): 21-35.
9. Sgery, A. S. H., & Agha, S. Y. S., (2021). Internet addiction and cigarette smoking among students of medical colleges in duhok. DMJ, 14(2), 64-72. Retrieved from https://dmj.uod.ac/index.php/dmj/article/view/135.
10. WHO: depression [Internet]. World Health Organization. [Cited 2020 Jun 7th]. Available from: https:// www. who.int/health-topics/depression# tab=tab_1.
11. APA: depression [Internet]. American Psychological Association. [Cited 2020 Jun 7th]. Available from: https://dictionary.apa.org/depression.
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13. Mayo Clinic: Stress management. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. [Cited 2020 Jun 7th] Availble from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495?reDate=13052021
14. Song, W.J., Park, J.W. The Influence of Stress on Internet Addiction: Mediating Effects of Self-Control and Mindfulness. Int J Ment Health Addiction 17, 1063–1075 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-019-0051-9.
15. Haroon MZ, Zeb Z, Javed Z, Awan Z, Aftab Z, Talat W. Internet Addiction In Medical Students. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2018 Oct-Dec;30(Suppl 1)(4):S659-S663. PMID: 30838826.
16. Dahlin M, Joneborg N, Runeson B. Stress and depression among medical students: a cross-sectional study. Med Educ. 2005 Jun;39(6):594-604. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02176.x. PMID: 15910436.
17. Kumar B, Shah M, Kumari R, et al. (March 16, 2019) Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Final-year Medical Students. Cureus 11(3): e4257. doi:10.7759/cureus.4257.
18. Musetti A, Cattivelli R, Giacobbi M, Zuglian P, Ceccarini M, Capelli F, et al. Challenges in Internet Addiction Disorder: Is a Diagnosis Feasible or Not? Front Psychol. 2016;7: 842.doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00842.
19. Lam LT. Internet Gaming Addiction, Problematic Use of the Internet, and Sleep Problems: A Systematic Review. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2014;16(4):444. doi:10.1007/s11920-014-0444-1.
20. Vandelanotte C, Sugiyama T, Gardiner P, Owen N. Associations of Leisure-Time Internet and Computer Use with Overweight and Obesity, Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study. J Med Internet Res. 2009;11(3): e28. doi:10.2196/jmir.1084.
21. Young, K. S. (2004). Internet Addiction: A New Clinical Phenomenon and Its Consequences. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(4), 402–415. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764204270278.
22. Ismail, B. (2007). Internet addiction and its relationship to personality dimension, psychological disorder for teens. Journal of Educational Faculty, Zagazig University, 55, 33-96.
23. Alshehri, A., Azahrani, H., & Alotaibi, M. (2015). Internet addiction among Taif University students and its association with psychiatric co-morbidities. Merit Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 3(12), 536-544.
24. Alhantoushi, Mashhor & Alabdullateef, Saad. (2014). Internet addiction among secondary school students in Riyadh city, its prevalence, correlates and relation to depression: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health. 3. 1. 10.5455/ijmsph.2013.130920131.
25. Hashemian, A., Direkvand-Moghadam, A., Delpisheh, A., & Direkvand-Moghadam, A. (2014). Prevalence of internet addiction among university students in Ilam: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Epidemiologic Research, 1(1), 9-15.
26. Dong G, Lu Q, Zhou H, Zhao X. Precursor or sequela: pathological disorders in people with Internet addiction disorder. PLoS One. 2011 Feb 16;6(2):e14703. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014703. PMID: 21358822; PMCID: PMC3040174.
27. Fernandez-Villa T, Alguacil Ojeda J, Almaraz Gomez A, Cancela Carral JM, Delgado-Rodriguez M, Garcia-Martin M, et al. Problematic InternetUse in University Students: associated factors and differences of gender. Adicciones. 2015; 27(4):265–75. PMID: 26706809
28. Ni X, Yan H, Chen S, Liu Z. Factors influencing internet addiction in a sample of freshmen university students in China. Cyberpsychol Behav. 2009; 12(3):327–30. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2008.0321 PMID: 19445631
29. Yang, C. K., Sociopsychiatric characteristics of adolescents who use computers to excess. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2001. 104, 217–222.
30. Ko, C. H., Yen, J. Y., Chen, C. C., Chen, S. H., Yen, C. F. et al.,. Gender differences and related factors affecting online gaming addiction among Taiwanese adolescents. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 2005. 193, 273–277.
31. Lin, S. S. J., & Tsai, C. C., Sensation seeking and internet dependence of Taiwanese high school adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 2002. 18, 411–426.
32. Armstrong, L., Phillip, J. G. and Saling, L.L. (2000) Potential determinants of heavier internet usage. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 53, 537-550. doi:10.1006/ijhc.2000.0400
33. Mboya, I.B., Leyaro, B.J., Kongo, A. et al. Internet addiction and associated factors among medical and allied health sciences students in northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychol 8, 73 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-020-00439-9.
Published
2022-01-07
How to Cite
SALIH HAJI SGERY, A., ALI YASEEN, Y., MOHAMAD TAHIR HUSAM-ALDIN1M., NAYF SULAIMAN1S., & BAYAR TAHIR, L. (2022). INTERNET ADDICTION AND ITS RELATION TO STRESS AND DEPRESSION AMONG DUHOK MEDICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS. Duhok Medical Journal, 15(2), 1-12. Retrieved from https://dmj.uod.ac/index.php/dmj/article/view/165
Section
Articles
