Prevalence and correlates of problematic internet experiences and computer-using time: A two-year longitudinal study in Korean school children
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To measure the prevalence of and factors associated with online inappropriate sexual exposure, cyber-bullying victimisation, and computer-using time in early adolescence. METHODS: A two-year, prospective school survey was performed with 1,173 children aged 13 at baseline. Data collected included demographic factors, bullying experience, depression, anxiety, coping strategies, self-esteem, psychopathology, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and school performance. These factors were investigated in relation to problematic Internet experiences and computer-using time at age 15. RESULTS: The prevalence of online inappropriate sexual exposure, cyber-bullying victimisation, academic-purpose computer overuse, and game-purpose computer overuse was 31.6%, 19.2%, 8.5%, and 21.8%, respectively, at age 15. Having older siblings, more weekly pocket money, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and passive coping strategy were associated with reported online sexual harassment. Male gender, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were associated with reported cyber-bullying victimisation. Female gender was associated with academic-purpose computer overuse, while male gender, lower academic level, increased height, and having older siblings were associated with game-purpose computer-overuse. CONCLUSION: Different environmental and psychological factors predicted different aspects of problematic Internet experiences and computer-using time. This knowledge is important for framing public health interventions to educate adolescents about, and prevent, internet-derived problems.
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Our results concur with previous research showing an inverse association of television viewing with composite scores, language, and mathematics.
“Regarding the association between the duration of individual screen-based activities and academic performance, our results concur with previous research showing an inverse association of television viewing with composite scores, 29,64,66,71 language, 59,67 and mathematics.59,77”
From Association Between Screen Media Use and Academic Performance Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2019) · cites this paper as [77]
The Results section on computer use reports an association between game-related computer-using time and lower academic achievement. The Discussion likewise addresses computer overuse, not television viewing; the passages found do not assess television viewing against composite, language, or mathematics scores (pages unavailable in our copy). (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThere was no association between self-esteem at baseline and overuse of computers for academic purposes at follow-up.
“One of these studies found no association between self-esteem at baseline and overuse (i.e., three or more hours per day) of computers for the academic purposes at followup (Yang et al., 2014).”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Yang et al., 2014
There was no association between anxiety and subsequent computer overuse for academic purposes.
“This study found no association between anxiety and subsequent computer overuse.”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Yang et al., 2014
There was no association between anxiety symptoms at baseline and computer overuse for the purpose of videogame play at follow-up.
“The authors found no association between anxiety symptoms at baseline and computer overuse for the purpose of videogame play at follow-up.”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Yang et al., 2014
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- Authors
- Yang, S.-J., Stewart, R., Lee, J.-Y., Kim, J.-M., Kim, S.-W., Shin, I.-S., & Yoon, J.-S.
- Affiliations
- Department of Psychiatry, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- King's College London (GB)
- Chonnam National University (KR)
- Venue
- Psychiatry Investigation
- Publisher
- Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
- Published
- 2014
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 24
- ISSN
- 1738-3684 (ISSN-L)
- 1976-3026
- PMC
- PMC3942548
- OpenAlex
- W2145770740
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 8.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Psychiatry Investigation (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- YUHSpace (Yonsei University Medical Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Keywords
- problematic internet use, cyber victimization, early adolescence, elementary school students, gender differences, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, passive coping, older siblings, pocket money, Korean adolescents
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