Internet Addiction and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life Among School-going Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: This study aims to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and explore its relationship with depression, anxiety and quality of life among adolescents. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of Internet addiction and to study its relationship with depression, anxiety and quality of life among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 4,057 school students, aged 12-17 years. Sociodemographic information was collected using a tailored proforma. Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was employed to evaluate internet addiction, while Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck's Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire measured the quality of life. Results: Among the 4,057 adolescents surveyed, 41.2% exhibited mild internet addiction, 16.9% moderate and 1.5% severe internet addiction. The prevalence of internet addiction was significantly higher in males compared to females. A positive correlation was found between the IAT scores and the scores on BDI and BAI. Age, gender, educational level and depression emerged as significant factors associated with internet addiction. Conclusion: The findings highlight an increased prevalence of internet addiction among adolescents, which is linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety and a lower quality of life. Further multicentric studies are essential to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this disorder.