Aim
To evaluate the relationships between problematic internet use (PIU) and psychiatric comorbid disorders and internet use habits in a clinical sample of adolescents with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Method
This cross‐sectional study included 95 adolescents with ADHD. Problematic behaviors and symptoms related to internet use were evaluated via Young’s Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS), and subjects with a YIAS score of ≥50 were categorized as PIU while those with a score of <50 were defined as normal internet use (NIU). The two groups were compared with respect to demographics and psychometric tests. While psychiatric disorders were examined by a semistructured instrument, self‐report and parent‐report scales were used to assess other individual and clinical characteristics of participants.
Results
33.7% (n = 32) of the participants were determined to have PIU. There was no gender (p = .058) or age (p = .426) difference between the PIU and NIU groups. Current presence of social phobia (p = .035) and history of major depressive disorder (p = .006) were more frequent in the PIU group than the NIU group. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that PIU was independently associated with online gaming (OR: 2.375, 95% CI: 1.532–3.681), e‐mail use (OR: 1.864, 95% CI: 1.170–2.971), social networking (OR: 1.834, 95% CI: 1.156–2.910), and Social Phobia Scale for Children and Adolescents (SPSCA) score (OR: 1.058, 95% CI: 1.020–1.098).
Conclusion
PIU may be common among adolescents with ADHD. The severity of social phobia and particular online activities (playing online games, e‐mailing, social networking) may be associated with a higher risk of PIU in adolescents with ADHD.