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Prevalence of Internet Addiction during the COVID-19 Outbreak and Its Risk Factors among Junior High School Students in Taiwan

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  • Min-Pei Lin

    (Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 10610, Taiwan)

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly disrupted normal activities globally. During this epidemic, people around the world were expected to encounter several mental health challenges. In particular, Internet addiction may become a serious issue among teens. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the prevalence of Internet addiction and identify the psychosocial risk factors during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study was constructed using a cross-sectional design with 1060 participants recruited from among junior high school students around Taiwan using stratified and cluster sampling methods. Taiwan’s first COVID-19 case was diagnosed on 28 January 2020. New cases exploded rapidly in February, and as a result, participants were surveyed during March 2 through 27 March 2020. The prevalence of Internet addiction was found to be 24.4% during this period. High impulsivity, high virtual social support, older in age, low subjective well-being, low family function, and high alexithymia was all independently predictive in the forward logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rate of Internet addiction was high among junior high school students during the COVID-19 outbreak. Results from this study can be used to help mental health organizations and educational agencies design programs that will help prevent Internet addiction in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Min-Pei Lin, 2020. "Prevalence of Internet Addiction during the COVID-19 Outbreak and Its Risk Factors among Junior High School Students in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8547-:d:446936
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yafei Tan & Ying Chen & Yaogui Lu & Liping Li, 2016. "Exploring Associations between Problematic Internet Use, Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Disturbance among Southern Chinese Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, March.
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    1. Takafumi Nishioka & Hideki Hasunuma & Masumi Okuda & Naoko Taniguchi & Tetsuro Fujino & Hideki Shimomura & Yasuhiko Tanaka & Masayuki Shima & Yasuhiro Takeshima & Japan Environment and Children’s Stud, 2022. "Effects of Screen Viewing Time on Sleep Duration and Bedtime in Children Aged 1 and 3 Years: Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Giulia Ballarotto & Eleonora Marzilli & Luca Cerniglia & Silvia Cimino & Renata Tambelli, 2021. "How Does Psychological Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Internet Addiction and Instagram Addiction in Emerging Adults?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-19, October.
    3. Meichun Mohler-Kuo & Shota Dzemaili & Simon Foster & Laura Werlen & Susanne Walitza, 2021. "Stress and Mental Health among Children/Adolescents, Their Parents, and Young Adults during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Nurazah Ismail & Ahmad Izzat Tajjudin & Hafiz Jaafar & Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar & Azlin Baharudin & Normala Ibrahim, 2021. "The Relationship between Internet Addiction, Internet Gaming and Anxiety among Medical Students in a Malaysian Public University during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    5. Abdullah Manap & Amelia Rizzo & Abdullah Yıldırmaz & Ümit Dilekçi & Murat Yıldırım, 2023. "The Mediating Role of Procrastination in the Relationship between Fear of Missing Out and Internet Addiction in University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Umberto Volpe & Laura Orsolini & Virginio Salvi & Umberto Albert & Claudia Carmassi & Giuseppe Carrà & Francesca Cirulli & Bernardo Dell’Osso & Mario Luciano & Giulia Menculini & Maria Giulia Nanni & , 2022. "COVID-19-Related Social Isolation Predispose to Problematic Internet and Online Video Gaming Use in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-23, January.
    7. Maria Anna Donati & Silvia Cabrini & Daniela Capitanucci & Caterina Primi & Roberta Smaniotto & Maurizio Avanzi & Eleonora Quadrelli & Giovanna Bielli & Alfredo Casini & Alessandra Roaro, 2021. "Being a Gambler during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study with Italian Patients and the Effects of Reduced Exposition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Xing-Kai Li & Pei-Shan Zhan & Shu-Dan Chen & Jie Ren, 2021. "The Relationship between Family Functioning and Pathological Internet Use among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Hope and the Moderating Role of Social Withdrawal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-12, July.
    9. Kateřina Lukavská & Václav Burda & Jiří Lukavský & Michaela Slussareff & Roman Gabrhelík, 2021. "School-Based Prevention of Screen-Related Risk Behaviors during the Long-Term Distant Schooling Caused by COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-11, August.
    10. Agnihotri, Shreyas & Ravi Shanker, Datti, 2023. "Association between cognitive distortions and problematic internet use among students during the COVID-19 pandemic," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    11. Eleonora Marzilli & Luca Cerniglia & Silvia Cimino & Renata Tambelli, 2022. "Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Peritraumatic Distress, Attachment, and Alexithymia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-22, November.

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