Internet Addiction, Psychosocial Variables and Perceived Social Support in University Students

Aim:The aim of this study was to examine socio-demographic data and perceived social support that predict internet addiction in university students.Materials and Methods:Randomly selected 399 university students living in Istanbul, the data collection tools were delivered over the internet, were included.Results:The frequency of internet use has been determined that 31.83% of the participants use the internet for five hours or more a day, and 72.18% use the internet seven days a week. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the internet addiction level of the participants and their age (p=0.010) and marital status (p=0.017). No significant difference was found between marital status and perceived social support level (p=0.845). It was determined that the level of perceived social support had a negative and significant effect on internet addiction at the level of -0.199 (p=0.000).Conclusion:The results of our study indicate that as the perceived social support level in university students increases, the level of internet addiction decreases. Studies are needed to determine the mediating factors between perceived social support and internet addiction

The relationship between fibromyalgia and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients

The study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between fibromyalgia (FM) disease and depression, anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, fear-avoidance beliefs, and quality of life in female patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. 37 female patients followed up with FM diagnosis in pain medicine clinic and a control group consisting of 37 healthy women were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Data Form, Quality of Life Form, fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale was applied to the participants. When the patients in the FM group were compared to the control group; Statistically lower scores in all Quality of Life Form subscales except emotional role difficulty and social functionality scores; statistically higher scores in both physical and work activity subscales in fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire; statistically higher scores in cognitive symptoms subscale in Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Visual Analogue Scale scores were found. In FM patients, it has been determined that anxiety, depression and perceived pain severity reduce social functionality and quality of life in areas such as mental health, physical function, and emotional role difficulties. It was determined that the functionality and quality of life of patients diagnosed with FM decreased in daily life. An important contribution of the study to the literature is that it shows that the behavior of avoiding activity due to pain-induced fear exacerbates the pain and even contributes to its chronicity. These results, which show the effects of anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity, and fear-avoidance behavior on the prognosis of the disease in FM patients, indicate that psychiatric evaluation and treatment in FM patients is an important factor that determines the functionality and quality of life