Internet addiction and mental health of adolescents in Serbia

[A. N. Pjevač]

88 str.

UVOD: Svakodnevna upotreba interneta postala je vrlo značajna za sve starosne grupe, pogotovo za učenike i studente. Pored brojnih benefita upotrebe interneta, postoji i određen rizik od razvijanja zavisnosti od interneta sa tendencijom rasta i sve značajnijim efektima na mentalno zdravlje. U doba pandemije, online nastave i sve veće digitalizacije društva, još je verovatnija mogućnost razvijanja patoloških oblika ponašanja i mentalnih bolesti. METOD: U istraživačkom radu korišćena je epidemiološka opservaciona studija preseka. Studija će se baviti određivanjem nivoa zavisnosti od interneta kao i efektima zavisnosti od interneta na mentalno zdravlje adolescenata u Srbiji. Uzorak ispitanika su činili adolescenti iz više osnovnih i srednjih škola u Srbiji. Nivo internet zavisnosti je određen korišćenjem online ankete, u osnovi sačinjene od IAT (internet addiction test), dok je temperament kao prediktor razvijanja zavisnosti procenjen na osnovu TEMPS-A skale za ispitivanje temperamenta i kvaliteta života. Mentalno zdravlje je evaluirano kratkom DASS 21 skalom validiranom na adolescentima u Srbiji. REZULTATI: Zavisnost od interneta se češće javlja kod devojčica, u osnovnim školama, zatim kod adolescenta čiji su roditelji nižeg stepena obrazovanja, koji koriste više mobilni telefon za pristup internetu, kao i da će oni koji razviju ovu vrstu zavisnosti pokazati lošije rezultate u školi. Kao značajni prediktori internet adikcije (IA) pokazali su se temperament i vreme provedeno na internetu. Zavisnost od interneta će dovesti do pogoršanja simptoma depresije, anksioznosti i stresa. ZAKLjUČAK: Na nivo zavisnosti od interneta utiču pol, vrsta uređaja sa kojih se pristupa, vreme provedeno na društvenim mrežama kao i vrsta temperamenta. Zavisnost od interneta dovodi do razvoja i pogoršanja simptoma anksioznosti, depresivnosti i stresa kod adolescenata.

INTRODUCTION: Everyday internet use has become very important for all age groups, especially for pupils and students. In addition to the numerous benefits of internet use, there is also a certain risk of developing internet addiction with a tendency to grow and increasingly significant effects on mental health. In times of pandemics, online classes and the increasing digitalization of society, the possibility of developing pathological behaviors and mental illnesses is even more likely. METHOD: Epidemiological observational cross-sectional study was used in this research work. The study will determinе the level of internet addiction as well as the effects of internet addiction on adolescents' mental health in Serbia. The sample of respondents consisted of adolescents from several primary and secondary schools in Serbia. The level of internet addiction was determined using an online survey, basically made of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), while temperament as a predictor of addiction development was assessed on the basis of the TEMPS-A scale for examining temperament and quality of life. Mental health was evaluated by the short DASS 21 scale validated on adolescents in Serbia. RESULTS: Internet addiction is more common in girls, primary schools, adolescents whose parents are of lower education, who use more mobile phones to access the Internet, and that those who develop this type of addiction will perform worse in school. Temperament and time spent on the Internet have been shown as significant predictors of Internet addiction (IA). Internet addiction will influence to developing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. CONCLUSION: The level of internet addiction is influenced by gender, the type of devices from which it is accessed, the time spent on social networks and the type of temperament. Internet addiction leads to the development and worsening of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress in adolescents.

zavisnost od interneta, IAT, adolescenti, uzorak u Srbiji, TEMPS-A skala, DASS 21

Internet addiction, IAT, adolescents, sample in Serbia, TEMPS-A scale, DASS 21

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