COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States
Despite the extensive usage of the internet, little is known about internet addiction among Americans during the pandemic. A valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online via MTurk to recruit a national sample of adult Americans to understand the nature and extent of internet addiction. A tot...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Psychiatry International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/2/4/31 |
| _version_ | 1827669903667101696 |
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| author | Jagdish Khubchandani Sushil Sharma James H. Price |
| author_facet | Jagdish Khubchandani Sushil Sharma James H. Price |
| author_sort | Jagdish Khubchandani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the extensive usage of the internet, little is known about internet addiction among Americans during the pandemic. A valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online via MTurk to recruit a national sample of adult Americans to understand the nature and extent of internet addiction. A total of 1305 individuals participated in the study where the majority were males (64%), whites (78%), non-Hispanic (70%), married (72%), 18–35 years old (57%), employed full time (86%), and with a Bachelor’s degree or higher (83%). The prevalence of internet addiction was distributed as no addiction (45%), probable addiction or risk of addiction (41%), and definite or severe addiction (14%). More than a fourth of the population had depression (28%) or anxiety (25%). Despite adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, definite/severe internet addiction was strongly predictive of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in multiple regression analyses. Those who were probably addicted or at risk of addiction were also more likely to have depression or anxiety. Compared to estimates before the pandemic, this study suggests an increase in internet addiction among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Population-based interventions and mental health promotion strategies should focus on a reduction in internet consumption and screen time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-711f4b1f2a9f4e828f10fa89a452505a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-5318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychiatry International |
| spelling | doaj.art-711f4b1f2a9f4e828f10fa89a452505a2023-11-23T10:20:29ZengMDPI AGPsychiatry International2673-53182021-11-012440240910.3390/psychiatryint2040031COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United StatesJagdish Khubchandani0Sushil Sharma1James H. Price2Department of Public Health Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USAProvost’s Office, Texas A&M University at Texarkana, Texarkana, TX 75503, USASchool of Population Health, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USADespite the extensive usage of the internet, little is known about internet addiction among Americans during the pandemic. A valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online via MTurk to recruit a national sample of adult Americans to understand the nature and extent of internet addiction. A total of 1305 individuals participated in the study where the majority were males (64%), whites (78%), non-Hispanic (70%), married (72%), 18–35 years old (57%), employed full time (86%), and with a Bachelor’s degree or higher (83%). The prevalence of internet addiction was distributed as no addiction (45%), probable addiction or risk of addiction (41%), and definite or severe addiction (14%). More than a fourth of the population had depression (28%) or anxiety (25%). Despite adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, definite/severe internet addiction was strongly predictive of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in multiple regression analyses. Those who were probably addicted or at risk of addiction were also more likely to have depression or anxiety. Compared to estimates before the pandemic, this study suggests an increase in internet addiction among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Population-based interventions and mental health promotion strategies should focus on a reduction in internet consumption and screen time.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/2/4/31addictioninternetdepressionanxietypsychiatrybehavior |
| spellingShingle | Jagdish Khubchandani Sushil Sharma James H. Price COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States Psychiatry International addiction internet depression anxiety psychiatry behavior |
| title | COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States |
| title_full | COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States |
| title_short | COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States |
| title_sort | covid 19 pandemic and the burden of internet addiction in the united states |
| topic | addiction internet depression anxiety psychiatry behavior |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/2/4/31 |
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