Evaluation of the relationship of social media and digital gaming addiction with anxiety in adolescence

In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the level of social media and digital game addiction and its relationship with anxiety in high school students studying in the city center of Tokat. Our study was carried out between 01.12.2022 and 01.01.2023, with the printed format of the questionnaire and voluntary consent form, to high school students studying in the city center of Tokat. Our survey; It consisted of a 6-question sociodemographic data form, 9-question Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents, 7-question Digital Game Addiction Scale, and 21-question Beck Anxiety Scale. The obtained data were analyzed with SPSS 25.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 25) program. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. 2540 students, including 1095 females (43.1%) and 1445 males (56.9%), participated in the study. According to the digital game addiction scale, 159 (14.5%) of female students and 363 (25.1%) of male students were found to be addicted. According to Beck anxiety scale, anxiety was not detected in 260 (23.7%) female students and 728 (50.4%) male students. Severe anxiety was detected in 317 (28.9%) female students and 126 (8.7%) male students. There was a significant difference between male and female students in the non-anxiety and severe anxiety groups (p<0.001). The mean score of female students in the Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents was 17.49±5.8, and the mean score of male students was 16.18±5.76. A significant difference was found between female and male students (p<0.001). Puberty; It is a period in which identity development is completed to a large extent, covering physical, biological and psychosocial developments. Social media and digital game addiction in adolescents; It is stated that it can cause problems such as delay in social skills, decrease in school success, violence, anxiety and anxiety disorder. Therefore, there is a need for field studies to reduce addiction levels with a multidisciplinary approach involving adolescents and their environment. Keywords; Adolescence, Social Media Addiction, Anxiety, Digital Game