Evaluation of the relationship between internet addiction and levels of social anxiety and impulsivity among medical school students

Internet use has been rapidly increasing in today's digitalized world. Although the concept of internet addiction first emerged in the early years when the internet became publicly accessible, it is now frequently addressed in academic literature and its potential risks are increasingly emphasized. Internet addiction is characterized by an excessive desire to use the internet, the inability to control this desire, and consequent impairment in daily functioning. The aim of this study was to assess the levels and prevalence of internet addiction among medical students at Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine, and to examine its relationship with social anxiety and impulsivity. This cross-sectional study included 332 students enrolled at Selçuk University Faculty of Medicine. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form prepared based on the literature, the Young Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), and the short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11-SF). Of the participants, 56% (n=186) were female and 44% (n=146) were male, with a mean age of 21.6±2.71 years. While 91% (n=302) reported no psychiatric illness, 9% (n=30) stated having a psychiatric disorder. The majority of participants (88.3%, n=293) were classified as average internet users, whereas 11.7% (n=39) were identified as problematic internet users. Positive correlations were found between Young's Internet Addiction Test scores and both the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores. Gender-based analysis revealed that female participants had significantly higher scores in certain sub-dimensions of social anxiety and impulsivity compared to males. In the logistic regression model constructed to predict internet addiction, gender, total impulsivity score, and daily internet use were included, explaining 29.8% of the variance. In this model, males were 2.21 times more likely to be problematic internet users compared to females. Furthermore, each one-point increase in impulsivity score was associated with an 18.9% increase in the likelihood of problematic internet use. The factors contributing to internet addiction have not yet been fully identified. In order to define, prevent, evaluate comorbidities, and effectively treat internet addiction, further research in this area is essential.