The relationship between internet and phone addiction and social anxiety in adolescents and young adults: A meta-analysis study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between internet and phone addiction and social anxiety among adolescents and young adults in our country. The research aims to address the different findings related to this relationship in the context of internet and phone addiction and social anxiety in Turkey, contribute to obtaining a more reliable single finding based on existing studies, and lead to a general conclusion about this relationship. Searches were conducted using keywords in databases such as YÖK National Thesis Center, Yök Academic, Eric, TRDizin, ULAKBİM, and Google Scholar. A meta-analysis was conducted by examining 28 studies (with a total of 29 effect sizes) that explored the relationship between internet addiction and social anxiety in adolescents and young adults, as well as 17 studies that investigated the relationship between phone addiction and social anxiety. In this study, the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 3) was used to calculate effect sizes by separately analyzing and combining the included studies, controlling for publication bias, conducting heterogeneity tests, and performing moderator analyses. A moderate and positive correlation was found between internet addiction and social anxiety (𝑟̅ =,310). For phone addiction and social anxiety, a low and positive correlation was observed (𝑟̅ =,282). Heterogeneity was detected in effect size values for the relationship between internet addiction and social anxiety (Q=234,878; sd=28; p<,05; I2=88,079) and for the relationship between phone addiction and social anxiety (Q=92,083; p<,05; sd=16; I2=82,624). Additionally, in the relationship between internet addiction and social anxiety, variables such as sample type, publication status, internet addiction scale, male participant ratio, sample size, and publication year did not have a moderator effect, while the social anxiety scale used was a moderator. For the relationship between phone addiction and social anxiety, the examined moderator variables sample type, publication status, phone addiction scale, social anxiety scale, and male participant ratio did not statistically significantly affect effect size. However, publication year and sample size were found to be statistically significant. The results have been analyzed, and recommendations have been made for future research. Keywords: Internet Addiction, Phone Addiction, Social Anxiety, Meta-analysis.