JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

As adolescents increasingly engage in digital experiences, the Internet is a versatile platform for social interaction, entertainment, and information acquisition. The COVID-19 pandemic further accentuated the use of digital platforms, as social restrictions necessitated remote learning and limited physical interactions. This shift resulted in altered internet behavior patterns among adolescents, with a notable increase in time spent on internet gaming and social media.

Objective:

We hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic would alter internet use patterns among Korean adolescents, including the types of content accessed, the amount of time spent online, and the prevalence of pathological use. Additionally, we anticipated that these changes in internet use patterns would be associated with shifts in psychological status related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

Data from 827 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years (144 in 2018, 142 in 2019, 126 in 2020, 130 in 2012, 143 in 2022, and 142 in 2023) was gathered over six years from 43 middle schools across 16 regions and one hospital in South Korea. The demographic data collected included age, gender, and school year. Participants also provided information on their internet usage patterns and levels of internet addiction. Additionally, psychological status, including mood, anxiety, attention, and self-esteem, was assessed.

Results:

There were significant differences in the depression scale (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 scores for 2018, 2019, and 2023 decreased compared to those observed in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Regarding changes in internet usage behavior, game playing among adolescents decreased after the pandemic compared to before, while watching videos increased. Additionally, the rate of problematic internet use was highest for games before COVID-19, but after COVID-19, it was highest for videos, and this trend continued until 2023. Furthermore, our study showed that the YIAS score was highest in the game group in 2018 compared to other groups before COVID-19. In 2019, both the game and video groups had higher YIAS scores than other groups, and by 2022, the YIAS scores among the game, video, and SNS groups did not differ significantly. The degree of influence on the severity of internet addiction was also greatest for games before COVID-19, but after COVID-19, the effect was greater for videos than for games.

Conclusions:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of the internet for academic and commercial purposes, including remote classes and video conferences, increased rapidly worldwide, leading to a significant rise in overall internet usage time. The demand for and dependence on digital platforms is expected to grow even further in the coming era. Until now, concerns have primarily focused on the use of games, but it is now necessary to consider what types of internet behaviors cause problems and how to address them. Clinical Trial: none