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. 2018 Dec 1;7(4):976-984.
doi: 10.1556/2006.7.2018.130. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

The role of self-esteem in Internet addiction within the context of comorbid mental disorders: Findings from a general population-based sample

Katrin Sevelko  1 , Gallus Bischof  1 , Anja Bischof  1 , Bettina Besser  1 , Ulrich John  2 , Christian Meyer  2 , Hans-Jürgen Rumpf  1
Affiliations

The role of self-esteem in Internet addiction within the context of comorbid mental disorders: Findings from a general population-based sample

Katrin Sevelko et al. J Behav Addict. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Internet Addiction (IA) has consistently been related to comorbid psychiatric disorders and lowered self-esteem. However, most studies relied on self-report questionnaires using non-representative samples. This study aims to analyze the relative impact of self-esteem and comorbid psychopathology with lifetime IA in a population-based sample of excessive Internet users using clinical diagnoses assessed in a personal interview.

Methods: The sample of this study is based on a general population survey. Using the Compulsive Internet Use Scale, all participants with elevated Internet use scores were selected and invited to a follow-up interview. Current DSM-5 criteria for Internet gaming disorder were rephrased to apply to all Internet activities. Out of 196 participants, 82 fulfilled the criteria for IA. Self-esteem was measured with the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale.

Results: Self-esteem is significantly associated with IA. For every unit increase in self-esteem, the chance of having IA decreased by 11%. By comparison, comorbidities such as substance-use disorder (excluding tobacco), mood disorder, and eating disorder were significantly more likely among Internet-addicted than in the non-addicted group. This could not be reported for anxiety disorders. A logistic regression showed that by adding self-esteem and psychopathology into the same model, self-esteem maintains its strong influence on IA.

Discussion and conclusions: Self-esteem was associated with IA, even after adjustment for substance-use disorders, mood disorder, and eating disorder. Self-esteem and psychopathology should be considered in prevention, intervention measures, as well as in the conception of etiological models.

Keywords: Internet addiction; comorbidity; prevalence; psychopathology; self-esteem.

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Figure 1.
Recruitment flowchart
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