The relationship between pathological internet use and psychiatric difficulties in adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: Internet addiction has been attracting widespread interest due to the increase in screen time related lectures, decrease social activities and spending more at home education restriction all over world. It was aimed determine psychiatric difficulties for before pandemic period distance period, separately evaluate relationship between adolescents' pathological internet usage difference difficulties. Methods: Four hundred thirty-eight adolescents aged 11-17 years, secondary high school students were included study. An online survey created consists of “Young Addiction Test-brief form” (IAT), “Strengths Difficulties Questionnaire” (SDQ) researcher form using Google forms application. Youths completed SDQ retrospectively two separate points: during pandemic. Results: According results our study, number changed areas (sleep, eating habits, leisure/social/physical activities) (B= 3.071, p < 0.001) change SDQ-Peer subscale score (B=1.193, = 0.019) among factors significantly predict use levels, respectively. Conclusions: Studies enable understanding would be useful organization preventive interventions case similar outbreaks occurred future.