Relationship between Problematic Internet Use and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Students Following the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea.
- Author:
Ju Yeon LEE
1
;
Sung Wan KIM
;
Hee Ju KANG
;
Seon Young KIM
;
Kyung Yeol BAE
;
Jae Min KIM
;
Il Seon SHIN
;
Jin Sang YOON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords: Disaster; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Problematic internet use; Student
- MeSH: Adolescent; Anxiety; California; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Disasters*; Epidemiologic Studies; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Internet*; Korea*; Logistic Models; Rescue Work; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*; Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Psychiatry Investigation 2017;14(6):871-875
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: We investigated the association between problematic internet use (PIU) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in children and adolescents in South Korea. A cross-sectional survey was administered to community students who attended primary, secondary, and high schools in the Jindo area 1–2.5 months after the Sewol ferry disaster. Of the 1,744 respondents, 392 students who were exposed to the disaster, witnessing the rescue work directly, were evaluated. PTSD symptoms were measured using the University of California Los Angeles Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD-RI). The severity of impairment caused by excessive internet use was evaluated using Young's Internet Addiction Test. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State Anxiety Inventory for Children (SAIC) were also used. Logistic regression analysis revealed that PIU was significantly and independently associated with a high level of PTSD symptoms. Our findings suggest that children and adolescents with PIU require intensive follow-up and special care to prevent the development of PTSD symptoms following a disaster.
