Evaluation of Correlation between Internet Addiction and Psychological Status among First Year Medical Students

Background: There has been exponential increase in usage of internet in our daily routine, which can foster addictive behaviors. Adolescents and teenagers are vulnerable for such addictive behaviors, which can provide them a way of escape from stress, which they encounter during their prolonged academic career. Objective: To determine the internet usage pattern, assess internet addiction and its correlation with psychological status among first year medical students. Material and Methods: The study sample consisted of 150 first year medical students. Young’s 20-item Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21[DASS-21], were administered. Results: The results showed higher rates of internet usage in addictive pattern (87.4%) among the students with females having milder addiction whereas males had equal distribution of mild to moderate addiction. Further, psychological distress specially anxiety (P<0.001) and depression (P=0.002) had significant correlation with addictive behaviors. Conclusion: Medical students undergo stressful situations during their extensive academic career. Psychological disturbances can lead to internet addiction. Hence, measures to be taken to educate and bring about awareness to promote psychological well-being and appropriate internet usage pattern among medical students.