Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Sep 2:11:00751.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00751. eCollection 2020.

Internet Addiction and Related Psychological Factors Among Children and Adolescents in China During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic

Huixi Dong  1 , Fangru Yang  1 , Xiaozi Lu  2 , Wei Hao  3
Affiliations

Internet Addiction and Related Psychological Factors Among Children and Adolescents in China During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic

Huixi Dong et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease presenting a major threat to public health. This study aims to assess Internet use characteristics and objectively examine the potential psychological factors associated with Internet addiction (IA) during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymized, self-reported survey was conducted among Chinese children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years old. Participants completed questionnaires containing Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and questions regarding demographic information and Internet use characteristics.

Results: A total of 2050 participants (mean age:12.34 ± 4.67 years old, female: 48.44%) were enrolled. Fifty-five (2.68%) participants met the criterion for addictive Internet use (IAT≥70), while 684 (33.37%) participants were classified as problematic Internet users (69≥IAT≥40). Internet usage had grown during the COVID-19 epidemic, including the frequency and duration of recreational Internet use, and the frequency of stay-up Internet use. A linear regression analysis showed female gender (β=-0.091, p<0.001), age (β=0.066, p=0.001), depression (β=0.257, p<0.001), and stress (β=0.323, p<0.001) were significantly correlated with the IAT total scores (R=0.539, R2 = 0.291, p<0.001).

Conclusions: We observed excessive Internet use among Chinese children and adolescents during the outbreak of COVID-19. Age, gender, depression, and stress were the potential key factors affecting IA. Extended family and professional support should be considered for vulnerable individuals during these unprecedented times.

Keywords: Internet addiction (IA); anxiety; children and adolescents; depression; stress.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Characteristic of recreational use of electronic devices online during and before the epidemic of COVID-19.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Phelan AL, Katz R, Gostin LO. The Novel Coronavirus Originating in Wuhan, China: Challenges for Global Health Governance. JAMA (2020) 323:709–10. 10.1001/jama.2020.1097 - DOI - PubMed
    1. The ministry of education of China The extension of the opening of the spring semester in 2020. (2020). Available at: http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/gzdt_gzdt/s5987/202001/t20200127_416672.html.
    1. The ministry of education of China Using the network platform, classes suspended but learning continues. (2020). Available at: http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/gzdt_gzdt/s5987/202001/t20200129_416993.html.
    1. Iresearch Report on the current situation of Internet use among Chinese teenagers and children. (2015). Available at: https://www.iresearch.com.cn/Detail/report?id=2383&isfree=0.
    1. Christakis DA. Internet addiction: a 21st century epidemic? BMC Med (2010) 8:61. 10.1186/1741-7015-8-61 - DOI - PMC - PubMed