Prevalence of internet addiction and its association to impulsivity, aggression, depression, and anxiety in young adult university students

Abstract The increasing availability of the Internet, although with many positive effects for most, has triggered addictive effects for part of the population. They experience social isolation due to Internet overuse and, when deprived of it, they feel anxiety, fissure, and psychomotor agitation. This study investigated associations among Internet addiction, demographic and cognitive variables, such as impulsivity, aggression, and depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. In this study, 1,485 young adults (67.9% women) were assessed using four psychological instruments. It was found that 19.1% of the participants presented a moderate or severe internet addiction, with men having a higher prevalence (45.0%). The risk population also included individuals who use the Internet for gaming and residents of the Northeastern region of Brazil. Moreover, a higher index of motor or attentional impulsivity, or more depressive symptoms, seems to increase the prevalence of Internet Addiction, requiring greater attention in preventive strategies.