Childhood maltreatment is associated with internet addiction, but most evidence is from retrospective studies.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction through a prospective cohort design.

In a prospective cohort study, self-reported data on childhood maltreatment (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – Short Form) at baseline, and internet addiction (Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale) at baseline and 6-month follow-up, were collected online from 756 Chinese junior middle school students aged 11–15 years and residing in Changsha, Hunan Province. Demographic data and covariates such as depression, anxiety, stress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21) and insomnia (Athens Insomnia Scale) were also surveyed at baseline. Logistic regression analysis measured the association between childhood maltreatment and internet addiction, and gender-related differences.

Childhood maltreatment was prevalent in Chinese junior middle school students (37.83%), and the incidence rate of internet addiction was 9.26% at the 6-month follow-up. Emotional abuse was a significant risk factor for internet addiction (adjusted odds ratio 2.618, 95% CI 1.194–5.738; P = 0.016) in both males and females.

This study suggests a high prevalence of childhood maltreatment in Chinese junior middle school students, and that emotional abuse plays a significant role in internet addiction. More attention should be paid to parenting style and adolescents’ mental health.

Internet addiction (IA) is reported to cause significant negative psychosocial consequences. The gender specificity of psychological characteristics that are potentially significant for the formation of IA remains understudied.

To identify gender-related differences in the psychological characteristics of people with IA.

100 subjects aged 16-34 years who scored 65 points or more on the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) were identified and divided into 2 groups by gender: group 1 (54 men) and group 2 (46 women). The individual psychological characteristics were assessed with: the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS); the Bass-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ); the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ); the Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ); a short version of the Five-factor Personality Questionnaire (TIPI-RU) and the Cloninger Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125).

Women were significantly more likely to experience fear of situations of interpersonal contact and action in public places (p=0.027). They experienced significantly more sexual violence in childhood (p=0.032) and were more likely to have personality traits such as “reward dependence” (p=0.002), “persistence” (p = 0.046), and “self-transcendence” (p=0.002). Men demonstrated physical aggression (p=0.009), suppressed emotions (p=0.019) significantly more often than women and characterized themselves as emotionally stable (p=0.048).

The gender differences identified in the cohort of individuals with IA can potentially be considered specific for this contingent, although such gender relationships can be observed in other forms of addiction and in the general population. The specificity of gender differences may reflect individual psychological markers of increased vulnerability to developing IA.

The study was financially supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the framework of scientific project No 18-29-22079.

Internet-addiction (IA) is one of the most common non-chemical (or behavioral) addictions with genetic impact and substantial effects of psychological and personality characteristics, taking into account the childhood traumatic experience. Gene-environment interactions (GxE) may substantially impact on the risk of Internet-addiction (IA).

Aim: to test the associations between the functional polymorphism rs6265 (Val66Met) in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, affecting BDNF function, and childhood traumatic experience and their GxE interactions with IA risk.

In total 456 participants were screened with Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) to cut a cohort on two groups: IA (CIAS total score ≥ 65, n=100) and controls (CIAS total score less 64, n=356). The Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) was used to assess childhood traumatic experience using its main domains: parents (P), family (F), abuse (A) and violence (V). BDNF Val158Met polymorphism was detected by RT-PCR.

Logistic regression revealed associations of P scores with increased IA risk only after adjustment for sex and age (p=0.01, OR=1.166, 95%CI[1.038-1.309]) and V scores with decreased IA risk (p=0.000, OR=0.799, 95%CI [0,233;0,744] only before adjustment. No associations of F and A with IA risk were found. BDNF Val158Met per se was not associated with IA risk, but significant effect of interaction V score*BDNF rs6265 CC on IA risk in “protective” manner was revealed (р=0.039, OR=0.873, 95%CI[0.768-0.993]) in a model adjusted for sex and age.

Childhood violence experience interacts with BDNF Val158Met polymorphism and CC (ValVal) genotype may be possibly protective factor decreasing the internet addiction risk

This work was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research: RFBR grant # 18-29-22079

When speaking of behavioral addictions (especially to the Internet and social media), it is emphasized that it is not the environment that is the main contributor to addiction, but rather certain behaviors and personality traits.

The aim of this study was to assess the level of Internet and social media addiction on the example of Facebook with regard to psychological and social factors.

This survey-based study involved a group of women representing the female population in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland (N = 556). Research instruments were a self-developed questionnaire concerning sociodemographic data, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Internet Addiction Test, and the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale.

Age, depressive symptoms, loneliness were the variable contributing to Internet and Facebook addiction among the studied. Available studies confirm the results of their own research.

Depressive symptoms and dependence on the Internet and Facebook were more common among single women. In the employed women, we only observed higher levels of Internet and Facebook addiction. The level of dependence on the Internet and Facebook was higher among younger women. Loneliness correlated with Internet and Facebook addiction, and more severe depressive symptoms entailed higher levels of Internet and Facebook addiction.

No significant relationships.

The Internet increasingly influences the lives of people in pandemic times. Although there are many positives, there are also risks related to excessive use and addiction. Internet addiction subject has been explored worldwide.

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the relationships between social connectedenss, connectedness to nature and the occurrence of Internet addiction.

The data were collected from a group of 200 young adults. A cross-sectional observational study using an online questionnaire was conducted via social media. The semi-structured online questionnaire covered the following areas: (1) general sociodemografic data; (2) Internet usage, measured by Generalized and Problematic Internet Use Scale (GPIUS2) (Caplan, 2002), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS-SF9) (Pontes & Griffiths, 2015), the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) (Andreassen et al., 2012); (3) nature conectedness, measured by the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) (Mayer, Frantz, 2004); (4) social connectedness, measured by the Social Connectedness Scale Revised (SCS) (Lee et al., 2001); (4) psychological impact and mental health, measured by Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) and (5) psychological features, such as coping strategies (Mini-COPE, Carver et al.,1989) and personality traits (TIPI -Gosling, Rentfrow, Swann Jr., 2003)

The detailed results and key findings will be presented during the congress.

As the research of the desribed area is insufficient so far, this pilot study may provide a significant contribution to the knowledge on new aspects of internet addictions’ mechanisms. Moreover, it is predicted that our result may have scientific influence on both research in connectedness and eco-psychology.

No significant relationships.

Eating disorders are widespread illnesses with significant impact. There is growing concern about how those at risk of eating disorders overuse online resources to their detriment.

We present systematically gathered and pooled quantitative evidence from our review and meta-analysis study which aimed to provide a quantitative synthesis of all available data linking problematic usage of the internet (PIU) and eating disorder and related psychopathology. We synthesize how PUI influences eating disorder and related psychopathology, and examine what the moderating parameters influencing this relationship are.

Our systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was pre-registered electronically in PROSPERO international register and included case-control studies using correlational statistics of association between internet use (various facets) and eating disorder psychopathology. Experimental and prospective studies are systematically reviewed separately.

The meta-analysis comprised n=32,295 participants, in which PUI was correlated with significant eating disorder general psychopathology Pearson r=0.22 (s.e.=0.04, p<0.001), body dissatisfaction r=0.16 (s.e.=0.02, p<0.001), drive-for-thinness r=0.16 (s.e.=0.04, p<0.001) and dietary restraint r = 0.18 (s.e.=0.03). Effects were not moderated by gender, PUI facet or study quality. Results are in support of PUI impacting on eating disorder symptoms; males may be equally vulnerable to these potential effects. Prospective and experimental studies in the field suggest that small but significant effects exist and may have accumulative influence over time and across all age groups.

Those findings are important to expand our understanding of PUI as a multifaceted concept and its impact on multiple levels of ascertainment of eating disorder and related psychopathology. Putative specific effects of PUI on EDs are discussed.

No significant relationships.

Internet addiction (IA) is a rapidly growing disorder especially among adolescents and young adults. Social anxiety is one of the risk factors for IA. Also, genes involved in dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems are among the candidate genes most frequently associated with IA.

The study aimed to investigate the association between social anxiety level and genetic markers in young adult Internet addicts.

IA group included 44 people (Chen/Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) score ≥ 65), 75,0% males), the average age 22,0 [18,0;25,0] y.o. (Md [Q1; Q3]). Healthy control group (CIAS score was less 65) included 120 people, (73,3% males), the average age 23,0 [22,0;24,0] y.o. Psychometric measures: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Genetic markers: rs2072450 in GRIN2A, rs2832407 in GRiK-GluR5, HUMTH01 in TH01(S<9, L>=9 repeats). The impact of genotypes on social anxiety scores was identified using Proportional Odd Logit modeling taking into account group affiliation.

Group of IA reported significantly higher levels in almost all LSAS measures including total score. We found that carriers of the genotypes rs2072450 CC (p=0.004 vs.CA/AA), rs2832407 CC (p=0.023 vs AA), and TH01 SS (p=0.013 vs. LL) scored significantly higher of LSAS total in the IA group. There were no significant differences in the healthy controls group.

The rs2072450(CC) in GRIN2A, rs2832407(CC) in GRiK-GluR5, and HUMTH01 in TH01(SS) genotypes may be possibly associated with higher social anxiety levels in Internet addicts.

The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), project #18-29-22079.

Research on cyberbullying has focused on the psychological characteristics of victims and aggressors, but the important roles of bystanders and defenders have not been sufficiently explored (Escortell et al., 2020; Polanco-Levican, Salvo-Garrido, 2021; Schultze-Krumbholz et al., 2018).

The aim is to compare neuroticism, empathy, and Internet addiction in adolescents in different roles in cyberbullying.

1505 adolescents aged 12-17 years old from 8 Federal regions in Russia appraised their experience of cyberbullying (as aggressors, victims, passive bystanders and defenders) using vignettes and filled Aggression Questionnaire (Buss, Perry, 1992), Ten-Item Personality Inventory (Gosling et al., 2003; Egorova, Parshikova,2016); Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1983; Karyagina, Kukhtova, 2016) and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (in adaptation Malygin, Feklisov, 2011).

More than one-third of adolescents (37%) reported experience of cyberbullying in different roles, mostly as passive bystanders (52%). Among the active roles were 30% defenders, 10% victims and 7% aggressors. Aggressors have the lowest empathy scores on the scales of Fantasy (F= 5.424, p=0.001) and Empathic Concern (F= 2.914, p=0.034) and Neuroticism (F= 3.060, p=0.028), while defenders, on the contrary, have the highest levels. The level of these psychological characteristics in victims is lower than in defenders and bystanders. These results are coherent with a number of studies (Escortell et al., 2020; Schultze-Krumbholz et al., 2018). There are no significant differences in Internet addiction between adolescents in different cyberbullying roles.

Results can be used to effective intervention and prevention of cyberbullying based on specific personality role profiles. The research was supported by RSF (project No. 18-18-00365)

This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project # 18-18-00365.

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is characterized by an individual’s inability to control his/her Internet use, which may result in marked distress and functional impairment. Systematic reviews show that excessive screen-time is negatively associated with well-being and positively associated with reduced quality of life in young people. There is growing evidence that IAD is related to comorbidities such as depression but relatively little is known about fatigue in adolescents with IAD.

Accumulating evidence suggests that fatigue is a central component of IAD. Depression is also related to IAD. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding whether there is a strong correlation between the severity of IAD and the rate of depression. Our objectives were to describe depression and fatigue in adolescents diagnosed with IAD.

Study included 94 participants with IAD and 88 controls, all aged 12–17 years. Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory Scale (Georgian version), and fatigue by the Pediatric Quality of Life Initiative (Georgian version) multidimensional fatigue scale.

Adolescents with severe IAD are 5.63 times more likely to show symptoms of moderate or severe depression than children with mild or moderate Internet addiction. Those with severe IAD showed 6.62 times more cognitive fatigue, 7.81 times higher sleep/rest fatigue and 11.11 times higher general fatigue than children with mild and moderate Internet addiction.

IAD can lead to depression and fatigue, which can affect adolescent’s psychological and social well-being. Mechanisms for prevention and ongoing support are needed for adolescents and their families.

No significant relationships.

Problematic internet use, especially in people with substance use disorder, may negatively affect their quality of life (QoL). However, it is unclear whether sleep quality is a key mediator in the association between problematic internet use and QoL among people with substance use disorder.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic internet use and QoL and how sleep quality may mediate the association between these two variables.

Overall, 319 people (85% male) with substance use disorder (mean age 42.2 years, s.d. 8.9) participated in a cross-sectional study in Taiwan. The Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, Bergan Social Media Addiction Scale, Internet Gaming Disorder-Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Brief Version were used.

The prevalence of sleep problems was 56%. There were significant and direct associations between sleep quality and two types of problematic internet use, and between sleep quality and different dimensions of QoL. All types of problematic internet use were significantly and negatively correlated with QoL. Mediated effects of sleep quality in relationships between the different types of problematic internet use and all dimensions of QoL were significant, except for problematic use of social media.

Different types of problematic internet use in people with substance use disorder may be directly associated with reduced QoL. Sleep quality as a significant mediator in this association may be an underlying mechanism to explain pathways between problematic internet use and QoL in this population.

Growing evidence studying pathological online behaviour has shown an increasing rate of internet addictions in younger populations across the globe.

The current study aims to investigate the prevalence of smartphone internet addiction of youths in Hong Kong, and its associations with gender and depression.

A total of 1,164 participants’ preliminary data were extracted from the Hong Kong Youth Epidemiological Study of Mental Health, a territory-wide, household-based study of mental health in youths aged between 15-24. Internet usage behaviors, socio-demographic and psychosocial characteristics of the participants were assessed. The Chen Internet Addiction Scale was modified to measure smartphone internet addiction (SIA). Symptoms of depression were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine (i) SIA across gender and (ii) depressive symptoms between high and no to low SIA groups. Linear regression model was used to evaluate the association between SIA and depression.

The prevalence of smartphone internet addiction was 27.8% using the cut-off scores of 67/68. Women had higher SIA scores than men (U=144239.50, p=0.001). Participants with high SIA were associated with a higher severity in depression than those with no-to-low SIA (U=89187.00, p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between depression and SIA after adjusting for confounding factors (B=0.099, t=9.138, p<0.001).

Our findings suggest a gender difference on online behaviour using smartphones. Further investigations are needed on whether SIA may exacerbate severity of common mental disorders.

The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) is a 20-item, self-reported questionnaire that measures the presence and severity of Internet addiction which is an increasing problem in adolescents. Although a Portuguese version IAT has been validated in adults, its psychometric properties have never been evaluated before, in adolescents.

To analyse the reliability and construct and concurrent validity of the IAT in a Portuguese adolescent sample.

772 adolescents (53.5% girls), mean aged 13.21±2.246, answered the Portuguese versions of the IAT and the Portuguese versions of validated scales to evaluate: Cyberbullying, Game Addiction, Agressivity and Anxiety, Depression Scales. To study the temporal stability, 377 (60.5% girls) respondents answered the questionnaires again after approximately four-six weeks. The total sample was aleatory splitted to realize the exploratory and the confirmatory factor analyses.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a second order two-factor structure - “Isolation and Social Commitment” and F2-“Negligence and Functional Commitment”. The χ2/df value was 2.260 and had a significant p value; it had the lowest RMSEA score = .074 (p< .001) and it had the highest TLI (.980) and CFI (.905). IAT mean scores were no different between genders [Girls=29.25±18.775 vs. Boys: 30.85±17.929, p=.405]. The Cronbach’s alphas were > .85. Pearson correlation between the test and the re-test was r=.660. The IAT, video game addiction (r=.434), Cyberbullying (r=.383), anxiety (r=.209) and depression (r=.263) were significantly correlated (p<.001).

The Portuguese IAT has good reliability and validity, showing to be an adequate instrument for measuring Internet Addiction symptoms in Portuguese Adolescents.

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is the compulsive and problematic use of the internet, resulting in significant functional impairment in several life domains. This happens when an individual engages in online activities disregarding daily responsibilities or other interests, and not realizing its negative consequences. Although not officially recognized as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), the relationships between digital media use and mental health has been under debate and discussion amongst experts due to presenting some features of excessive use, withdrawal phenomena, tolerance, and negative repercussions typical of many substance abuse disorders.

To present an overview of theoretical considerations on IAD and its eventual inclusion in the next version of the DSM.

Review of the most recent literature regarding internet addiction disorder. The research was carried out through the PubMed, MedLine, SpringerLink and LILACS databases, using the terms “internet addiction”, “addiction disorders” and “social media”, until December 2020.

There is controversy around the diagnosis of internet addiction, including whether it is a unique clinical entity or a manifestation of other underlying psychiatric disorders, raising complex questions of causality. Since there are no standardized definition, there is lack of evidence-based recommendations to its approach.

Research suggests that some individuals dealing with internet addiction are at significant risk, therefore merit professional care. Further research is needed, with carefully controlled studies, emphasizing incapacity, prognosis and response to treatment, in order to consider internet addiction as a disease, and include it in DSM’s next edition.

No significant relationships.

Current classification systems are not sure where to place the internet use disorder. Is it an addiction, an impulse control disorder, a consequence of another psychiatric morbidity or a consequence of personality trait/personality disorder?

We intended to study which personality traits associated with online cognition may contribute towards Problematic internet use(PIU). We also analysed the relationship between number of hours of use/week of internet and PIU along with its relation with two ‘screening’ questions.

Online cognition scale and Abbreviated Eysenck Personality questionnaires were our measurements of choice in addition to demographic measures and some questions pertaining to online behaviour patterns.

Total 163 responses were analysed. The demographic pools consisted mostly of young adults who had, on average, used the internet for 5.2 years at present rate of 21.81hours/week. We observed significantly higher mean OCS scores in men, in people who thought that the internet interfered with their lives and in those who felt the need to ‘cut-down’. A moderate positive and significant correlation was observed between hpurs/week of internet use and OCS scores. Also, significant positive correlation was observed between Neuroticism and OCS, impulsivity, and loneliness/depression scores. Significant negative correlations were observed between the Lie trait and impulse control. Neuroticism and Lie together contributed to 21.8% of variance in OCS scores.

Neuroticism and Lie traits (representing need for social acceptance) were found to the causing significamn varience in the OCS scores of the subjects. High number of hours/week use of internet was related to the feeling of ‘need to cut down use’.

No significant relationships.

Nowadays the cyberspace penetrates all the spheres of our lives: work, leisure and learning activity. However, uncontrolled presence in the virtual reality can form Internet-addictive behavior. Young people seem to be in increased risk of Internet-related problems.

The research aim is to study the motivational shpere of the students with different level of Internet dependency.

The research methods are: Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), Internet Perception Inventory, Learning Motivation Diagnostics Inventory, Test of Motivation of Success or Fear of the Failure. The sample consists of 37 students of the medical university in the age from 21 to 24 years. According to the results of the CIAS 3 groups have been marked out: Group 1 - with the highest level of Internet-related problems, Group 2 – the risk group of forming the Internet addiction, Group 3 – students who have not demonstrated proneness to Internet-addictive behavior.

The motivational sphere of the students with a low risk of Internet addiction seem to be more differenciated comparing with the one of the rest students. The motives of creative self-realization; communicative, social and learning motives have been demostrated. However, we have not found a significant differance between the groups in motivation for success. The motives of professional self-realization are equally important for all the research participants.

The obtained data can be implemented when designing Internet addiction prevention programs. We assume that including the motivational component into such programs can make them more effective.

No significant relationships.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of possible internet addiction, gaming addiction, gambling addiction and associated mental health difficulties in a secondary school population in Ireland.

An online survey containing questions related to internet addiction, gaming addiction, gambling addiction and associated mental health difficulties was administered to secondary school adolescents in Ireland. Participants were self-selecting and answered questions on the characteristics of each topic and screening questionnaires for addiction to each behaviour, as well as their respective effects on mental health.

A total of 234 children participated in the survey (156 males; aged 12–18 years; average age of 14.2 years; S.D. 1.60). Internet addiction as assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale was present for between 11.5% and 22.6% and levels of gaming addiction as assessed using by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form was present for between 0.5% and 1.6%. Weak positive correlations were found between time spent on the internet and time spent gaming with internet addiction and gaming addiction, respectively. There were weak positive correlations between higher internet addiction scores, higher gaming addiction scores, and increased depression and anxiety scores. Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen–Revised for Adolescents, two participants were classed as ‘at-risk’ for gambling addiction and one participant was classed as a problem gambler.

The present study examined behavioural addictions and their effects on mental health on a self-selecting sample of schoolchildren at two schools in Ireland. A low number were identified as being at risk or problem gamblers.