Does Psychopathology in Childhood Predict Internet Addiction in Male Adolescents?

This study investigated childhood psychopathology and Internet addiction in adolescents. Initial assessment data were obtained from 1998 to 1999, and a follow-up assessment was performed in 2006, when the original subjects entered middle school. Personal information for the 524 male subjects was obt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child psychiatry and human development 2013-08, Vol.44 (4), p.549-555
Main Authors: Cho, Sun-Mi, Sung, Min-Je, Shin, Kyoung-Min, Lim, Ki Young, Shin, Yun-Mi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addiction
Addictive behaviors
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety - psychology
Anxiety-Depression
Behavior, Addictive - psychology
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child and School Psychology
Childhood
Children
Control Groups
Depression - psychology
Elementary School Students
Humans
Internet
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Medical sciences
Mental health
Miscellaneous
Original Article
Prospective Studies
Psychiatry
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Teenagers
Withdrawal symptoms
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Summary:This study investigated childhood psychopathology and Internet addiction in adolescents. Initial assessment data were obtained from 1998 to 1999, and a follow-up assessment was performed in 2006, when the original subjects entered middle school. Personal information for the 524 male subjects was obtained from the original data. The subjects were evaluated with the Korean version of the child behavior checklist, which was administered to the children’s parents. Demographic and psychosocial factors were also evaluated. Children were reassessed with the self-reported Korea Internet Addiction Scale. Our results indicated that 3.6 % of the subjects had Internet addiction, and revealed a significant relationship between withdrawal and anxiety/depression and future Internet addiction. The results suggest that withdrawal and anxiety/depression during childhood should be considered in the etiology of problematic Internet use in boys. Accordingly, clinicians should consider anxiety/depression and withdrawal during childhood to prevent Internet addiction.
ISSN:0009-398X
1573-3327
DOI:10.1007/s10578-012-0348-4