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Internet Addiction May Mask Teen Depression

Can't get your teenager off the computer long enough to come to dinner? Your teen could be depressed, researchers say. By Charlene  Laino WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda  Nazario, MD on Monday, May 23, 2005 Severity of Addiction May Make Depression Worse

This story is part of WebMD's coverage of the American Psychiatric Association's 2005 Annual Meeting. Other stories include: Caffeinated Cola May Make Kids Hyperactive | Consumer Drug Ads May Confuse the Public

May 23, 2005 (Atlanta) -- Can't get your teenager off the computer long enough to come to dinner? It could be a tip-off to more than typical adolescent behavior: Your teen could be depressed, researchers say.

The more depressed an adolescent is, the more time he or she will spend on the Internet, says researcher Sang Kyu Lee, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry at Hallym University in Chunchon, Korea.

His study, presented here Monday at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, included 425 middle-school students. All were given a test of Internet addiction that asked such questions as whether you feel preoccupied with the Internet, whether you repeatedly make unsuccessful efforts to cut back on use, and whether your online travels are a means of escaping from problems.

The study shows that about 11% of the teens were "highly addicted to the Internet," Lee says. "Less than one-third were in the no-risk group."

Internet Addiction May Mask Depression

Then, the kids were all administered a test to gauge symptoms of depression.

The teens most addicted to the Internet scored highest for depression, he says. The group with the lowest addiction tendencies scored the lowest.

When they looked at specific behaviors, the researchers found that the Internet addicts tended to be novelty seekers, with low attention span and low goals, Lee says.

The findings held true regardless of sex, age, and the grade point average, he adds.

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