Internet addictive behaviors and subjective well-being among 1st-year medical students

Abstract

Context: Exponential rise in internet usage over the past two decades has fostered internet addictive behaviors, especially in young adults. In India, medical students undergo tremendous stressful situations and are a vulnerable group for such addictive behaviors. Aims: The aim of the study was to assess subjective happiness of 1st-year medical students and their internet addiction levels Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study done in a medical college in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: Sample consisted of 150 1st-year medical students, who self-reported about their internet addictive pattern and subjective well-being on Internet Addiction Test and Subjective Happiness Scale, respectively. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were carried out. Significance is assessed at 5% level of significance. Analysis of variance, Student's t-test, and Chi-square/Fisher's Exact test have been used. Results: Of the total sample, 42.7% of students reported of experiencing subjective happiness below the average, 41.3% had average happiness levels, and only 16% had scores above the average. Out of the students, 42.1% who had no internet addiction, 36.4% who had mild levels, and 54.8% who had moderate levels of internet addiction fell below the average happiness level. Conclusions: Those who had higher levels of internet addiction showed reduced subjective happiness. Thus, those who experience decreased subjective happiness without overt psychological disturbances are still prone to have addictive patterns. This should be considered during screening for addictive behaviors.

Keywords

• internet addiction
• medical students
• subjective well-being