Internet and smart telephone addiction levels and related factors of 6, 7 and 8. class students who are learned in Gaziemir, Izmir, Turkey

Introduction and Aim: Internet and smartphones have become a natural part of life for adolescents. The use of these technologies had many advantages and risks. In particular, the problems that the child experiences during the developmental process could result in internet and smarthphone addiction in the future, which could cause individual and social harm. The aim of the study was to determine internet and smartphone addiction status and associated factors in 6th, 7th and 8th grade students of secondary school in Gaziemir, İzmir. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 2074 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in 2017 academic year in Gaziemir, distinct of İzmir province. The dependent variables of the study are internet and smartphone adddictions. Kwon's Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and Young's Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (YIAT-SF) were used. The relationship between internet/ smartphone adddictions and sociodemographic characteristics, life style factors, internet usage characteristics, mobile phone usage characteristics and psychosocial characteristics were investigated. Student's t test, Kruskal Wallis test and linear regression analysis were used for the analysis of the data. Results: The mean age of the study group was 12.1±1.2 years. Among students, 49.5% were female, 50.5% were male. Of the students, 99.8% were using the internet and the average internet addiction score was 24.0±9.9 (n: 1928). Among the students, 69.6% had smartphones and the average smartphone addiction score of was 78.6±29.6 (n:1736). Among the students, 78.3% were connecting to the internet via their smart phone. Low school achievement perception, using internet for communication purposes, use of internet to meet new people, using the internet to watch television channels, connecting to the internet via smartphone, being in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at border / problematic level, low level of well being had significantly explanatory on internet addiction (p<0,05). Low school achievement perception, having higher own snartphone, connecting to the internet via smartphone, taking photos with a smartphone, playing online games with a smart phone, using the internet for communication with friends, using internet for watching television channels, using the internet for communication purposes, use of internet to meet new people, using the internet to watch television channels, low parental interest, having peer problems, being in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at border/problematic level, low level of goodness had statistically significant explanatory effect on smartphone addiction (p<0,05). There is a positive, moderate significant correlation between students' smartphone addiction and internet addiction (r = 0,664, p <0.001). Conclusion: Both internet addiction and smartphone addiction were higher in adolescents who were using social media from their smartphones (who communicate with their friends and meet new people), had attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, perceived low school achievement and had low level of well being. Adolecents who were playing online games on the smartphone, had peer problems, had low parental interest, were using the smartphone for taking photo, had a higher level of smartphone addiction. In order to ensure proper use of internet and smartphone Technologies, interventions should be assessed to protect childhood and early adolescence in which behavioral patterns are beginning to shape. Key Words: Internet addiction, smarthphone addiction, adolescent, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder