Prevalence of the Pathological Internet Use in a Sample of Turkish School Adolescents

Background: The Internet addiction, also described as pathological Internet use (PIU), is conceptualized by an individual’s inability to control his or her use of the Internet, which eventually causes marked distress and/or functional impairment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of the PIU among adolescence, in relation to different Internet activities, and to excessive use of the Internet in Samsun, Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 1 and 31, 2005 in Samsun, Turkey. In total, 1315 high school students (760 male, 555 female; mean age, 15.2±1.1 years) were recruited. A self-administered questionnaire and Young’s Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) was applied to the participants. Results: Although only 506 (38.5%) of the participants have a computer at their home, total 1054 (80.2%) used a computer at home or public, such as an internet cafe. Eight hundred and ten (76.9%) of the participants, used a computer, to access to the Internet. Of the internet users, 10(1.2%), 161 (19.9%) and 639 (78.9%) were Internet addicts (IAs), possible Internet addicts (PAs), and nonaddicts (NAs), respectively. It is found that males were more likely than females to be pathological users in this study (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Our results still demonstrate that the Internet plays an important role in the lives of Turkish adolescents.