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A Study on Depression Associated With Internet Use and Victimization among School Going Adolescents

Mathur JC, Chandra R, Mathur Swati, Kumar S, Kishore N

Introduction: With the extensive usage of internet among adolescents for social media, education & peer pressure game play, internet victimization leading to depressive mental health has become a problem in our society. As proposed by the Stress Generation Model, stress induced by victimization builds & multiplies on itself and effects juvenile lives leading to depression.

Materials and Methods: Four hundred school students of classes’ 9th & 12th standards between 13 to 18 years of age were randomly selected & chosen to be evaluated for internet abuse & depressive symptoms in the last 9 months from 4 schools in Hyderabad. Those who showed depressive symptoms the Patient Depression Questionnaire (PHQ9) is a self-administered format for common mental disorders was also administered to assess the severity of depression.

Observations: Of the four hundred adolescents, 374 used the internet. Among the internet users 168 of these children reported victimization. Of those bullied 98 (58%) were boys & 70 (42%) girls. Upon administration of the PH9 questionnaire 112(66.6%) suffered from depression. Minimal depression was observed in 81 (72.3%), 17(15.1%) mild and 14 (12.5%) moderate. Moderately severe and severe depression was not observed. Minimal depression was observed in 2(7.6%) among the non-internet users. (P<0.001)

Conclusions: Adolescents exposed to high internet usage are exposed to abuse & bullying leading to depression than compared to those of non-users. The depression is predominately minimal but could cascade into severe forms if appropriate interventions are not adapted.