Abstract

Objective: Problematic internet use (PIU) has become a serious public health issue, especially among adolescents. While previous studies have examined adolescents’ and parents’ perspectives on PIU in community-based samples, no study has investigated these perceptions in a clinical sample. This study aimed to compare adolescents’ self-reports with parents’ assessments of their children’s PIU levels among adolescents attending a child psychiatry clinic. We also aimed to examine differences in PIU levels across various psychiatric diagnoses and to determine the associations between PIU reported by adolescents and their parents and mental disorders in adolescents, parental PIU, and sociodemographic factors.

Methods: The study included 174 adolescents and their parents. Adolescents completed the Young’s Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS) for self-assessment of PIU, while parents filled out the Family-Child Internet Addiction Scale (PCIAT) to evaluate their children’s PIU and the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) to assess parental PIU.

Results: Mean PIU scores did not differ significantly between adolescent self-reports and parent-reports. However, YIAS and PCIAT scores significantly varied across different psychiatric diagnoses. Regression analyses indicated that eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, specific learning disorders, and a higher number of siblings predicted higher adolescent-reported PIU (YIAS). Higher parental PIU, lower grade level, and living in a broken family predicted higher parent-reported PIU (PCIAT).

Conclusion: The study observed significant discrepancies between adolescent and parent reports. This is the first research to evaluate both adolescents' self-reports and parent-reports of PIU in a clinical sample. Given the inconsistencies in PIU studies, the findings highlight the need for standardized diagnostic criteria and reliable assessment tools for PIU.

Key words: Adolescent, Internet addiction, Parent, Predictors, Problematic internet use