Internet Addiction and Relationship with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(Adhd) Symptoms among Health Science Students

Abstract

Background of the study: Internet Addiction is when individuals use the Internet in an excessive, uncontrollable manner
that leads to tolerance and interferes with their daily life, resulting in substantial suffering and functional limitations.
ADHD, a condition that persists throughout life, is mainly characterized by symptoms such as lack of focus, excessive
activity, and impulsiveness. Individuals with ADHD exhibit addictive behaviour towards interactive media, and there is
evidence of problematic technology use in those exhibiting significant ADHD symptoms even without an official diagnosis.
Methods: 150 subjects were selected for the study, obtaining informed consent. Participants who met the specified
inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen for the study. The subjects will be provided with the Internet Addiction
Test (IAT) scale, Adult Self Report Scale (ASRSv1.1) symptoms checklist and UCLA loneliness scale (Version 3). The
questionnaire (data) will be collected from the subjects. The interpretation and analysis of the data are done, and the
results are obtained.
Results: Gender, ADHD symptoms, and loneliness emerged as significant factors associated with internet addiction in
the studied population. An important relationship (p < 0.001 for ASRS_A and ASRS_T, p = 0.001 for ASRS_B), and lone
liness (p < 0.001, OR = 0.100, 95% CI [0.027, 0.372]) emerged as significant factors associated with internet addiction
in the studied population. However, age did not independently predict addictive behaviours (p = 0.441>0.05, mean
difference = -0.17 years, 95% CI [ –0.60, 0.26]).
Conclusion: Internet Addiction has a significant association with ADHD Symptoms (Loneliness) among health science
students.