Generalized and Specific Problematic Internet Use in Central Siberia Adolescents: A School-Based Study of Prevalence, Age-Sex Depending Content Structure, and Comorbidity with Psychosocial Problems

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jun 21;19(13):7593. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19137593.

Abstract

We aimed to assess the prevalence, content structure and, psychological comorbidity of PIU in Russian adolescents. In addition, the design of our research provided an opportunity to compare demographic and psychological patterns of different forms of PIU: generalized (PIUgen) and specific problematic video game use (PUgame), as well as problematic social media use (PUsocial).

Methods: This is a one-stage cross-sectional observational study of school sampling in three major Siberian cities. A total of 4514 schoolchildren aged 12-18 (mean age 14.52 ± 1.52 years) were surveyed. The Chen Internet Addiction Scale, the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents, and the Social Media Disorder Scale were used to identify PIU and its types.

Results: The prevalence of PIUgen among adolescents in Central Siberia was 7.2%; the prevalence of PUgame was 10.4%; the prevalence of PUsocial was 8.0%. The results of structural equation modelling, as well as the correlation analysis data, suggest two possible patterns of psychosocial problems with PIU-the first one is characteristic of both PIUgen and PUsocial. The second one-which is significantly different-is characteristic of PUgame.

Conclusions: Urban adolescents in Central Siberia do not differ significantly from their Asian and European peers. Our findings support the concept of rejecting the term "generalized PIU" as a single psychological construct.

Keywords: Russia; adolescents; game addiction; internet addiction; problematic internet use; social media addiction.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior* / psychology
  • Behavior, Addictive* / epidemiology
  • Behavior, Addictive* / psychology
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Internet Use
  • Prevalence
  • Siberia / epidemiology

Grants and funding

The work was carried out within the framework of the state budgetary theme 121022600087-7 for the Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.