The Relationship Between Internet Addiction, Sleep Quality, and Psycho-Social Problems Among Secondary School Students in Erbil, 2023–2024 Publisher Pubmed



Fareeq Saber A¹ ; Masih S² ; Karimirad MR¹ ; Sharifi F³ ; Manookian A⁴
Source: Public Health Nursing Published:2024

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to show the association between internet addiction (IA), sleep quality, and psycho-social problems among secondary school students. Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study design was used. Sample: A total of 557 students from four secondary schools in Erbil were selected using multistage cluster sampling. Measurements: The questionnaires of this research contained socio-demographic data, Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Pediatric Symptom Checklist—Y (PSC-Y) questionnaire. Results: Findings indicated that students displayed a mild IA, averaging a score of 42.9 ± 19.18. Furthermore, the average sleep quality (PSQI) score was 8.95 ± 2.75, indicating moderate sleep disturbance, and the average score for psycho-social problems was 27.78 ± 13.29. Importantly, there was a strong and positive association between IA and psycho-social issues, as shown by a correlation coefficient of 0.31 (p <.001). Sleep quality was correlated with IA and psychosocial issues (p <.001, correlation values:.23 and.27, respectively). Conclusions: The study highlights the urgent need for health policymakers and nursing managers in Erbil to develop targeted interventions, such as awareness campaigns and digital well-being programs in school curricula, to mitigate the interlinked issues of IA, sleep quality, and psycho-social problems among students. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.