The relationship between internet use and depression and narcissistic personality traits

In this study, the presence of a relationship between late adolescent internet usage and depression, internet usage and narcissistic personality characteristics, as well as the relationship between narcissistic personality characteristics and depression, was examined. The study group consisted of 211 recent graduates who were 12th grade students, aged 17-21. Cross-sectional research model-based survey technique was applied to the group formed by using purpose-oriented sampling method. In addition to the Informed Consent Form, Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (YİBT-SF), Narcissistic Personality Inventory-13 (NCI-13) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which are data collection instruments with acceptable reliability and validity, were used in the study. Through the scales, the study group was asked to answer a total of forty-six questions, 12 from (YİBT-SF), 13 from (NCI-13), and 21 from (BDI). The existence of the relationship between internet usage and depression, internet usage and narcissistic personality traits, and between narcissistic personality traits and depression were assessed using the parametric Pearson correlation analysis and independent sample t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test, which is a nonparametric test. The relationship between internet usage and depression, internet usage and narcissistic personality traits was found to be weak and positive, and the relationship between narcissistic personality traits and depression was found to be moderate and positive. In addition, it was concluded that internet use among the study group seemed to be at a "normal" level, the level of depression was high, and narcissistic personality traits gave a dominant image. Key words: Late adolescents, internet, depression, narcissism, addiction