ABSTRACT
Internet Use Disorders Among German Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Theoretical background: Several studies indicate that the level of adolescents' time spent online increased sharply during the lockdown measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial studies also link this to an increase in Internet use disorders. Objective: Using an ipsative comparison, the present study examined whether Internet use disorders and symptoms of problematic Internet use increased among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this is related to quality of life. Method: For this purpose, we examined 743 (unselected) adolescents from eight secondary schools (26 classes) in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region in two waves using the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS). The first wave (t1, n = 507;M-Age= 15.7, SDAge = 1.8, female = 49 %) was collected between July 2015 and October 2016. The second wave (t2, n = 236, M-Age = 15.3, SDAge = 2.3, female = 54 %) was studied in the same schools and grade levels (also 26 classes) from July to December 2021. Results: There was a significant increase in symptom severity of Internet use disorders. The CIUS mean score increased from M = 15.8 to M = 19.3 points (M-diff = -3.5 points, 95 % KI [-4.9, -2.1], p < .001, partial eta(2) = .03. The prevalence of addictive Internet use doubled from 7.1 % before to 14.8 % during the pandemic (p = .002). Hazardous Internet use did not increase significantly (13.8 % at t1 vs. 15.7 % at t2, p = .749). In contrast, normal Internet use decreased by 10 % from 79.1 % to 69.5 % (p = .006). Symptom severity was also moderately negatively correlated with quality of life, which is below the normal range in individuals with addictive Internet use. Discussion and Conclusion: The extent to which the increase in Internet use disorders is attributable to exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic is debatable. Nevertheless, the results do indicate an increased need for care among adolescents. Situational prevention interventions should therefore be expanded and implemented. The subsequent implementation of evidence-based behavioral prevention and early intervention programs should be promoted as well as facilitation of access to therapeutic services.