Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Jul 2021)
How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Internet Use Behaviors and Facilitated Problematic Internet Use? A Bangladeshi Study
Abstract
Israt Jahan,1,2 Ismail Hosen,3,4 Firoj al Mamun,3,4 Mark Mohan Kaggwa,5 Mark D Griffiths,6 Mohammed A Mamun3,4 1Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 2Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 3CHINTA Research Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh; 4Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh; 5Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; 6Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UKCorrespondence: Mohammed A MamunCHINTA Research Bangladesh, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, BangladeshTel +88-1738592653Email [email protected]: The COVID-19 pandemic-related “stay-at-home” and confinement orders has led individuals to be more engaged with technology use (eg, internet use). For a minority of individuals, excessive use can become problematic and addictive. However, the investigation of problematic internet use in the COVID-19 context is only just emerging. Therefore, the present study investigated the changes in internet use behaviors and addiction rates in comparison with prior Bangladeshi studies.Methods: An online cross-sectional study was carried out among a total of 601 Bangladeshi students between October 7 and November 2, 2020. The survey included questions relating to socio-demographic, behavioral health, online use behaviors, and psychopathological variables.Results: A quarter of the participants (26%) reported having low levels of internet addiction, whereas 58.6% were classed as having moderate internet addiction and 13% severe internet addiction. A total of 4% of the sample were classed as being at risk of severe internet dependency (ie, scoring over ≥ 80 on IAT). Risk factors for internet addiction included smartphone addiction, Facebook addiction, depression, and anxiety. However, the final hierarchical regression model comprising all variables explained a total of 70.6% variance of problematic internet use.Conclusion: Based on the present findings, it is concluded that individuals are at elevated risk of problematic internet use like other psychological impacts that have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, risk-reducing measures and healthy control use strategies should be implemented for vulnerable individuals.Keywords: COVID-19 and internet addiction, problematic internet use, online use behaviors, smartphone and Facebook addiction, depression, anxiety, Bangladeshi students
