Internet Addiction, Depression and Relation with Academic Failure in Students of Allied Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

Internet addiction, which is a result of increasing inevitable use of the Internet and smart phones, causes discomfort and serious social and occupational problems, consequently that can lead to some mental disorders such as depression. On the other hand, depression and Internet addiction are factors affecting students' academic performance. This study aimed to investigate Internet addiction, depression and their relation with academic failure in students of Semnan Allied Medical Sciences. In this cross-sectional study, all students who were in the 3rd and higher semesters were examined. Three questionnaires (demographic, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Internet Addiction Test by Young) were used. The academic failure was assessed using the student's grade point average in the previous 3 semesters. Collected data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics methods at significance level of 0.05. 170 students participated in this study. The correlation between depression and grade point average changes was negative (r=-0.19) and significant (p=0.01). Moreover, a positive (r=0.39) and significant (p=0.01) correlation was observed between depression and Internet addiction scores. Binary logistic regression analysis also indicated that students' depression score (P=0.04, OR1.04, CI 95%=1-1.08) and sex (P=0.008, OR=0.37, CI 95% = 0.17-0.77) can predict academic failure. Due to the observation of Internet addiction and depression in the students and effects of these disorders on their academic performance, it is necessary to educate students and families, identify risk factors and provide solutions to deal with it.