Effects of Cyberspace Addiction on Academic Performance of Nursing and Midwifery Students of Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Background: The curious, unplanned, and aimlessly searches of students on the internet result in a type of addiction to the internet and can have negative effects on their academic performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cyberspace addiction on the academic performance of nursing and midwifery students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 302 nursing and midwifery students of Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected online using the Internet Addiction Test and a cell phone addiction questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The average score of internet addiction was 44.61±12.77 (at a low level), and the average score of cell phone addiction was 51.46±14.59 (at a moderate level). There was a significant relationship between cell phone addiction and marital status (P=0.038) and age (P=0.011). The average score of internet addiction was significantly higher in dormitory students than in non-dormitory students (P = 0.011). Conclusion: Considering the existence of cyberspace addiction among nursing and midwifery students, it is recommended to hold educational workshops to increase awareness about the consequences of this problem.